Green-the-Way-2014Capstone

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GREEN THE WAY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Special thanks to Wendy Rampson and the City
of Ann Arbor for the opportunity to complete
this project and for providing knowledge and
feedback throughout. Thanks as well to the City’s
Eli Cooper, Jerry Hancock and Ethan Miller.
We would like to extend a thanks to the Allen
Creek Greenway Conservancy for their support
and enthusiasm, in particular Bob Galardi, Joe
O’Neal and Megan Barnes.
We would also like to thank the following
individuals and organizations, who provided
invaluable help and input to our project:
Robin Bailey, Ann Arbor Public Schools
Claudia Burns
Vince Caruso, Allen’s Creek Watershed Group
Steve Coron, Community High School
Mark Ferrall, Washtenaw Area Transportation
Study (WATS)
Chet Hill, Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio
Michele Moon, Fairmount/Indigo Corridor
Collaborative (Boston, MA)
Chris Nordstrom, Johnson Hill Land Ethics
Studio
Josie Parker, Ann Arbor District Library
Laura Rubin, Huron River Watershed Council
Thank you to the Dow Sustainability Fellows
program at the Graham Sustainability Institute
for providing funding for our student art project.
We appreciate all the community members who
took time to share their thoughts on an Allen
Creek trail by stopping by our public outreach
tables, completing our survey, or attending a
community meeting on the the trail.
We thank Bethany Ramirez for her careful
reading of this report.
Lastly, we would like to extend an enthusiastic
thanks to our faculty advisors, Larissa Larsen and
Eric Dueweke, for providing excellent guidance
and leadership to our team.

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GREEN THE WAY

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GREEN THE WAY
Table of Contents
M
OVING FORWARD ON
A
N
ALLEN CREEK TRAIL
heGREEN WAY
i Acknowledgements
v List of Figures & Tables
1 Executive Summary
5 Introduction
7 Background & Context
13 Community Input
23 Trail Features & Design
55 Recommendations
75 Works Cited
77 Appendices

iv
GREEN THE WAY

v
GREEN THE WAY
LIST OF
FIGURES & TABLES
FIGURES
Executive Summary
Overview of the proposed Green the Way Route
Source: Green the Way
Chapter 2. Background & Context
Figure 2-1
The City’s 1988 Downtown Plan identified the
City-owned 415 W. Washington Street site as a
potential greenway park
Figure 2-2
In 2013 the City unsuccessfully applied for
funding to create a greenway anchor park at the
721 N. Main Street site
Figure 2-3
Flooding at Felch Street and Ashley Street in
2013. The Allen Creek valley sees frequent
floods
Source: mlive.com
Chapter 3. Community Input
Figure 3-1
Team members Matt and Arthur staffing our
public outreach table at the Ann Arbor Farmers
Market
Figure 3-2
Green the Way’s public outreach table at the
YMCA
Figure 3-3
Map showing where survey respondents in
Ann Arbor live. Areas in red had the highest
concentration of survey respondents.
Figure 3-4
Map showing survey respondents’ important
destinations that should be linked to an Allen
Creek trail
Figure 3-5
Green the Way team member Luke facilitates a
community meeting
Figure 3-6
Washtenaw Biking and Walking Coalition
members use maps to draw potential routes and
identify important destinations
Figure 3-7
Map showing overlay of trail routes drawn
by participants at community meetings. Most
participants drew routes along the railroad,
although there is more variation to the north.

vi
GREEN THE WAY
Chapter 4. Trail Features & Design
Figure 4-1
Green the Way team studying route options
Figure 4-2
Gateway parks, rail considerations, and road and
sidewalk crossings
Figure 4-3
Two-lane path striping
Source: www.americantrails.org
Figure 4-4
Safety, traffic, and mile markers on the trail
surface
Figure 4-5
Trail signs and logos
Source: www.americantrails.org, www.
localmotion.org/ctc, bordertoborder.org
Figure 4-6
Small rain garden at Miller Avenue
Figure 4-7
Large rain garden at the Ann Arbor YMCA
Figure 4-8
Mission City Bike Trail next to Metrolink
commuter rail line, San Fernando, CA
Source: Rails to Trails Conservancy
Figure 4-9
Crossing gates installed beyond sidewalk edge
to block sidewalk and road, Ft. Collins, CO
Source: Google.
Figure 4-10
Fencing and gates at rail-trail crossing, Irvine,
CA
Source: Google Street View, accessed
2014.11.04.
Figure 4-11
Enhanced stop sign intersection along
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, featuring high-
visibility crosswalks and corner bump-outs
Source: ndyculturaltrail.org
Figure 4-12
A rendering of a speed table, a design solution
to increase safety where the trail crosses streets
mid-block
Source: NACTO Urban Street Design Guide
Figure 4-13
First Street and Liberty Street intersection
Source: Google.
Figure 4-14
First Street and William Street intersection
Source: Google.
Figure 4-15
Main Street and Madison Street intersection
Source: Google
Figure 4-16
Merge of on-road bicycle lane with side path
Source: Non-motorized Transportation Plan
(Full source-Appendix A) Figure 2.3L, Pg. 41
Figure 4-17
Trail emergency call light or blue light
Source: Town of Chapel Hill, accessed on
12/16/2014
Figure 4-18
Green the Way study routes
Figure 4-19
The Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy
proposed this wide section of railroad property
be used as a park featuring a historic railroad
turntable

vii
GREEN THE WAY
Figure 4-20
Path serving different types of users in
Madison, WI
Source: capitalbikeandwalk.org
Figure 4-21
Protected bicycle lanes like this one on
Delaware Avene in Philadelphia can provide
separate spaces for bicyclists and pedestrians
Source: thisoldcity.com
Figure 4-22
Miller Avenue rain gardens
Figure 4-23
Football game day pedestrians using the railroad
Figure 4-24
Segment A: S. State Street to Hill Street
Figure 4-25
Burke-Gilman Trail near the University of
Washington
Figure 4-26
Segment B: Hill Street to Liberty Street
Figure 4-27
Segment C: Liberty Street to Miller Avenue
Figure 4-28
This bicycle path along the Left Hand Creek
in Boulder, CO was credited with reducing
flooding in the surrounding neighborhood
Source: www.biked.og
Figure 4-29
A cycle track (two-way protected bicycle lane)
paired with a sidewalk along the Indianapolis
Cultural Trail
Source: indyculturaltrail.org
Figure 4-30
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, a bicycle and
pedestrian path with rain gardens and local
artwork
Figure 4-31
Segment D: Miller Avenue to the Huron River
Figure 4-32
A conventional street (left) was tranformed
into a bicycle and pedestrian friendly reoute
(right) with the hlep of stormwater features in
Portland, OR
Source: www.oregonlive.com
Chapter 5. Recommendations
Figure 5-1
Overview of proposed Green the Way Route
Figure 5-2
Figure 5-3
On wide railroad property through UM athletic
campus, we propose a Turntable Park in this
section of the trail
Figure 5-4
Suggested configuration for bikeway, roads,
sidewalks, and trail at Liberty Street and First
Street
Figure 5-5

viii
GREEN THE WAY
Figure 5-6
A dedicated bicycle stoplight gives cars a red
arrow when bicyclistis and pedstrians are
crossing on the Dearborn Street cycle track in
Chicago
Source: tcsidewalks.blogspot.com
Figure 5-7
Segment C: Liberty Street to Miller Avenue
Figure 5-8
Segment D: Miller Avenue to the Huron River
Figure 5-9
Phasing for the Green the Way Route
Figure 5-10
Local Motion’s bicycle ferry
Source: www.localmotion.org
Figure 5-11
Winooski River bridge, Vermont
Source: www.enjoyburlington.com
Figure 5-12
Suggested configuration for bikeway, roads,
sidewalks, and trail at Kingsley Street and First
Street
Figure 5-13
Posters at local businesses inform residents of
public meetings
Figure 5-14
Overhead view of the City-owned 721 N. Main
Street site. There are a number of potential
ways to connect this site to the Border-to-
Border trail.
Source: Allen Creek Greenway Task Force
Figure 5-15
Looking south along the railroad at the East
Eisenhower Parkway
Figure 5-16
A complete Allen Creek trail will be an asset in
Ann Arbor, much like the Indianapolis Cultural
Trail has become a part of that city’s urban
environment
TABLES
Chapter 3. Community Input
Table 3-1
Trail activity frequency by proximity of home to
trail
Table 3-2
Trail activity frequency by household type
Table 3-3
Strengths and weaknesses of community
outreach process
Chapter 4. Trail Features & Design
Table 4-1
Study Route statistics
Table 4-2
Study Route evaluation
Chapter 5. Recommendations
Table 5-1
Green the Way Route statistics
Table 5-2
Parking spaces removed and driveways crossed
by the East Branch of the Green the Way Route

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Moving Forward on an Allen Creek Trail shares
routing, design, and phasing recommendations
for a proposed biking and walking trail in the
City of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The trail would
connect community destinations while providing
attractive green space and enhanced stormwater
management. The trail would also be an
opportunity to improve one of the city’s defining
natural features, Allen Creek, which was buried
in 1926 and has been badly polluted for over 100
years. Increased flooding and persistent pollution
in Allen Creek, alongside a greater awareness
of stormwater management, has created a new
urgency for creative solutions like an Allen Creek
trail.
This idea is not new. First mention of an Allen
Creek trail emerged in the City’s 1981 Plan for
Park, Recreation, and Open Space, and the idea
gained momentum in the early 2000s. Although
no precise alignment of the trail has been chosen,
efforts have focused on the Allen Creek valley
and the active railroad corridor that runs through
it. The railroad and the creek are closely aligned
but follow separate paths at Miller Avenue, where
the creek bends northeast towards the Huron
River, presenting options for trail routing.
The Green the Way project team consists of
12 Master of Urban Planning students and two
faculty members, whose aim it was to develop
detailed recommendations for an Allen Creek
trail. It has been a collaborative effort between
the University of Michigan’s Taubman College
of Architecture and Urban Planning, the City
of Ann Arbor, and the Allen Creek Greenway
Conservancy. To create the recommendations,
the Green the Way team followed a three-step
process, with each step informing the next:
• Reviewed 65 existing documents and plans
relevant to an Allen Creek Trail.
• Engaged the Ann Arbor community
through an online survey (600+ responses),
seven community meetings, 38 hours at a
mobile information station, and a youth art
ideas competition.
• Created trail routing options, evaluated
their trade-offs, and identified next steps
towards implementing an Allen Creek trail.
Our analysis reveals a wide range of motivations
for an Allen Creek trail, including facilitating
recreational and commuter use, connecting
neighborhoods and downtown, mitigating
flooding and stormwater issues, and enhancing
quality of life. To explore the trade-offs
between these interests we compared a route
previously created by the Allen Creek Greenway
Conservancy and three unique new routes
created by the Green the Way team:
1

2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The 2008 Essential Route would provide a
basic route along the railroad. This study
route is based on a proposal developed by
the Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy.
The Minimal Rail Route would follow the
north-south orientation of the railroad
while minimizing use of railroad private
property.
The Connections Route would focus on non-
motorized travel to destinations between
the Huron River, downtown and the south
end of the University of Michigan athletic
campus, connecting users to identified
destinations.
The Stormwater Route would prioritize
stormwater and flooding issues in the
Allen Creek Valley. This route deviates
from the rail corridor near Kingsley Street
and follows the Allen Creek floodway to
the Huron River.
The best features of these four routes, in
combination with our document review and
community engagement, informed our final
recommended route: the Green the Way Route. This
trail option features stormwater infrastructure,
educational opportunities, a new pedestrian and
bicycle bridge, and connections to community
identified destinations, including the Border-to-
Border Trail, Michigan Stadium, and downtown.
Developing an Allen Creek trail presents
challengesforthecity,theUniversityof Michigan,
the railroad, businesses, and private property
owners; however, if constructed, it would be an
asset for generations to come, and its true legacy
would be realized through a healthier community
and improved environment. The Green the Way
team recommends that this trail be implemented
in three phases. As residents begin using
completed parts of the trail, momentum to finish
the greenway and connect it to other destinations
will grow.

3
EXECUTIVE SUMMARYGreen the Way
DOWNTOWN
KERRYTOWN/
OLD 4th WARD
WATER HILL
UM CENTRAL
CAMPUS
UM ATHLETIC
FACILITIES
Huron
River
GERMANTOWN
OLD WEST
SIDE
FIRST STREET
BIKEWAY
LINK TO
WEST PARK
LINK TO
DTE SITE
LINK TO
B2B TRAIL
FUTURE SOUTH
EXTENSION
LINK TO
BURNS PARK
TURNTABLE
PARK
ALLEN CREEK
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
BRIDGE OVER
HURON STREET
GATEWAY
RAIN GARDEN
PARK AT 721 N.
MAIN STREET
FINGERLE
SOUTH
FINGERLE
NORTH
415 WEST
WASHINGTON
227 FELCH
SOUTH
721 N. MAIN
NORTH
Green The Way trail
Park Space and
Rain Gardens
Site Redesign
Opportunity
Legend
Allen Creek Drain
Floodway
Flood Plain
City Park
Railroad
N
0 0.25 0.5 miles
SUMMIT ST.
FELCH ST.
KINGSLEY ST.
CATHERINE ST.
HURON ST.
WASHINGTON ST.
LIBERTY ST.
WILLIAM ST.
JEFFERSON ST.
MADISON ST.
HILL ST.
HOOVER ST.
MAINST.
ASHLEYST.
STADIUM BLVD.
STATEST.
1stST.
MAINST.
BROADW
AY
MILLER AVE.
SegmentSegmentSegmentSegmentAAABACAD
SegmentSegmentSegmentSegmentAAABACAD
Overview of the proposed Green the Way Route

4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

5
This report, Moving Forward on an Allen Creek
Trail, shares routing, design, and phasing
recommendations for a proposed trail in Ann
Arbor, Michigan. The trail, first noted in City’s
planning documents in 1981, follows Allen Creek
from the creek’s source near Michigan Stadium to
the Huron River, and could connect community
destinations while providing attractive green
space and improving stormwater management.
Local leaders and advocates have included an
Allen Creek trail in various City planning efforts,
but a master plan for the project has not been
created. The recommendations in this report are
intended to inform both of these actions, helping
Ann Arbor to move forward with an Allen Creek
trail.
The Green the Way project has been a
collaborative effort between the University of
Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture
and Urban Planning, the City of Ann Arbor,
and the Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy.
Our team includes 12 Master of Urban Planning
students and two faculty members. In addition
to urban planning, the students belong to
programs in architecture, natural resources and
environment, public policy, and social work. The
team has worked with City staff and Conservancy
members in an effort to produce action-
oriented recommendations that are feasible and
representative of the community’s interests.
While an Allen Creek trail has been included and
discussed in documents for many years, the need
for a comprehensive plan became apparent in
2013 when an application to the Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund was denied. The grant
would have helped to transform the City storage
yard at 721 N. Main Street into a park along the
trail. In declining the application, reviewers noted
that the application failed to link the park project
to a larger trail plan. While a disappointment for
trail proponents, the experience highlighted the
value of having a trail master plan, and helped
lead to the Green the Way project.
To create its recommendations, the Green the
Way team followed a three-step process. First,
we reviewed 65 city plans and supplemental
documents about an Allen Creek trail in an
effort to understand the history of the idea and
the current context. Next, the team gathered
community input both in person and through
an online survey. Based on the document
review and community input, the team created
three route options, each of which pursue a
particular goal: minimizing the use of railroad
property; facilitating access to shops, trails, and
other destinations; and maximizing stormwater
management opportunities. We also adapted
a 2008 proposal by the Allen Creek Greenway
Conservancy to create a fourth study route,
which follows the railroad to the Huron River.
1. INTRODUCTION

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1. INTRODUCTION
Finally, we selected elements from each of the
four study routes — using evaluation criteria
informed by research and community input —
to create a recommended Green the Way Route.
The Green the Way team carefully defined
the scope of our project in order to give
complex issues the attention they deserved. We
intentionally did not consider the potential costs
of our concept routes and Green the Way Route, at
the recommendation of the City. We were told
that City staff are better equipped to calculate
those estimates, and that identifying a route
would need to precede cost estimates. We also
chose to not make specific recommendations for
the three city-owned properties at 721 N. Main
Street, 415 W. Washington Street, and the First
Street and William Street site. Instead, we refer to
the designs that previous planning efforts have
created for these sites.
This report is divided into four additional
chapters. Chapter 2 provides context for the
project, including information on the history
of trail efforts and our summary of previous
documents related to the trail. Chapter 3
describes our community engagement process
and summarizes the input we received. Chapter
4 introduces and analyzes the four study routes
after describing features common to all routes.
Chapter 5 details the Green the Way Route,
proposes phasing for trail development, and
makes recommendations on other next steps.
Appendices to the report contain supplemental
technical and reference material.

7
One of the first tasks undertaken by the Green
the Way team was a document review of previous
work concerning Allen Creek and an Allen Creek
trail. This review increased our familiarity with
the project, informed our understanding of the
motivations behind thetrail, and helpedshape our
approach to trail routing. This chapter reviews
and summarizes the history of the Allen Creek
greenway trail from several planning documents
created by the City of Ann Arbor, previous
University of Michigan master’s projects, and
rails with trails studies, to name a few. These
documents track the evolution of the project
over time, which aided in our identification of
key points for our project. See Appendix A for a
list of the documents reviewed.
History
The first published mention of an Allen Creek
greenway appeared in the City of Ann Arbor’s
1981 Plan for Park, Recreation and Open Space. This
plan recommended developing pathways along
a number of drains through the city, including
Allen Creek. This same plan also recommended
converting a few downtown sites into parks,
including the City-owned site at First Street and
William Street.
The City’s 1988 Downtown Plan connected the
ideas of a pathway along the Allen Creek and
downtown park development, into a single
“greenway” concept (p.54). One of the plan’s
objectives was to “foster the development of a
system of open spaces on the floor of the Allen
Creek Valley” that were “linked by on-street
walkways” (p.54-55). The plan also suggested
that the City-owned properties at First and
William and 415 W. Washington Street could
serve as greenway parks.
An Allen Creek greenway was subsequently
mentioned in the City’s Park, Recreation and
Open Space Plans in 1988, 1994 and 2000. In
2004 the City began to explore an Allen Creek
greenway in earnest, starting with an appointed
Allen Creek Greenway Committee on the Park
Figure 2-1. The City’s 1988 Downtown Plan
identified the City-owned 415 W. Washington
property as a potential greenway park
2. CONTEXT &
BACKGROUND

8
2. CONTEXT & BACKGROUND
Advisory Commission (PAC). This committee
interviewed stakeholders, conducted research,
and ultimately recommended that the City
dedicate three City-owned parcels (721 N. Main
Street, 415 W. Washington, and First and William)
to the greenway. In addition, the committee
recommended that the floodway portion of
each site be dedicated as open space, and the
floodplain portion of each site “be held by the
City for uses in the public interest.” (ACG Task
Force, 2007, p. 13) With this in mind, the City
recognized the flood mitigation potential of a
greenway. The PAC’s Greenway Committee also
recommended a “paved pedestrian/bicycle path
that would roughly parallel the route of the Ann
Arbor railroad tracks” (ACG Task Force, 2007).
While the City contemplated a greenway, citizen
groups also joined in the effort. Groups like
Friends of the Ann Arbor Greenway, the Allen
Creek Greenway Study Group, and later the non-
profit Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy began
investigating and advocating for a greenway
beginning in the mid-2000s.
In 2005 the City took its biggest step towards a
greenway, appointing the Allen Creek Greenway
Task Force to explore a greenway along Allen
Creek. The Task Force focused on how to
develop the three city-owned parcels mentioned
in previous plans. Their work resulted in an
80+ page report with a 650+ page appendix,
completed in 2007. Many hoped that the Task
Force’s report would spark the beginning of work
on a greenway. While the economic recession of
2008 stalled official progress, the Allen Creek
Greenway Conservancy continued their efforts
and proposed a specific route for a greenway that
followed the railroad corridor.
In 2012, a group of master’s students from the
School of Natural Resources and Environment
at the University of Michigan produced a report
that further investigated a greenway along
Allen Creek. Building off the work of the Task
Force and the Conservancy, this student group
investigated where to site a path to form the spine
of a greenway. They followed the Conservancy’s
2008 recommendation to locate the path along
railroad property.
In the years after the Task Force’s report, with
no substantial progress made on a greenway,
the City made efforts to keep the greenway idea
alive. A 2010 City Council resolution expressed a
desire to develop the 415 W. Washington parcel
as a greenway anchor park. The City Council
passed another resolution in 2011 expressing full
support for an Allen Creek greenway.
The City again took concrete steps towards
a greenway in 2013, centered on turning the
decommissioned 721 N. Main Street site into an
anchor park for a greenway. In the early part of
2013, the City secured a FEMA hazard mitigation
Figure 2-2. In 2013, the City applied unsuccessfully for funding to turn the 721 N. Main property into
an anchor park for a greenway trail

9
grant to demolish two storage structures at the
721 N. Main Street property. Later that year, the
City applied for a Michigan Natural Resources
Trust Fund (MNRTF) grant to develop the 721
N. Main Street site “as the first part of the Allen
Creek Greenway.” As part of this application,
the City secured $150,000 in matching funds
from Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation
Commission’sConnectingCommunitiesprogram
for the project. The MNRTF grant application
detailed the development of the 721 N. Main
Street site, building off of the work of the City’s
North Main Vision Task Force. The application
also described how the project site and trail
would connect to the existing Border-to-Border
(B2B) Trail network. When the City’s application
was denied, reviewers noted that the City failed
to link the 721 N. Main Street site development
to a larger trail plan. In response, the City and the
Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy decided that
pursuing a comprehensive plan for the greenway
was a necessary step forward.
Past and Present Planning for an Allen
Creek Trail
As part of our research we reviewed 65
documents related to an Allen Creek trail.
These include the City’s Allen Creek Greenway
Task Force Report (2007); Visioning the Allen
Creek Greenway (2012), written by master’s
students in the School of Natural Resources and
Environment at the University of Michigan; Ann
Arbor’s Master Plan, Capital Improvements Plan,
and City Code; additional stormwater, watershed,
and transportation plans; and site assessments
and proposals. While previous proposals have
referred to the project as a “greenway,” we have
adopted the plainer term “trail” in an effort to
reduce confusion. We have divided the content
of these documents into six categories: Trail
Location and Design, Adjacent Properties
and Trail Crossings, Stormwater Management,
Neighborhood Connections and Input, Rails and
Transit, and Funding Opportunities.
Trail Location and Design
The existing approaches for greenway
development can be divided into 1) approaches
that place a greenway trail exclusively along the
railroad corridor and 2) plans advancing the
development of particular sites, especially City-
owned parcels that lie within the Allen Creek
floodway. Despite several past planning efforts,
only the Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy
document Proposed Route of the Allen Creek
Greenway (2008) proposed a specific and detailed
location for the trail. This route followed the
railroad as opposed to the Allen Creek. The
Visioning the Allen Creek Greenway (2012) report
also investigated trail routing, but did not provide
enough detail to be fully considered.
Past plans proposed dividing a trail into
segments and implementing it in phases. The
City’s Downtown Plan (2009) divides a trail based
on the distinctive character of the adjacent areas:
the South Campus Athletic area, the Downtown
commercial/residential area, and the North Main
residential/industrial mix. Visioning the Allen
Creek Greenway (2012) similarly divides a trail into
three segments. The Preliminary Feasibility Study
(2005), created at the University of Michigan’s
Ross School of Business, divides a trail into two
design stages that are contingent on construction
costs and land acquisition within the Ann Arbor
Railroad’s property. The first stage would follow
the railroad from end to end, while the second
stage would deviate from the railroad and cross
over the floodway at the 721 N. Main site, leading
to Wheeler Park and eventually connecting to the
B2B Trail at the DTE site via a new underpass.
Only the Ross report evaluated grading and
construction costs, along with costs associated
with an elevated trail adjacent to the railroad
berm north of Liberty Street.

10
The City of Ann Arbor has studied possible
connections between the 721 N. Main Street site
and the B2B Trail, but solutions have proven
difficult. The City submitted a Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund Grant Application (2013)
to fund the first part of the trail, but it was
rejected; the grant proposed looped paths at 721
N. Main Street, linking Felch Street, N. Main
Street, and Summit Street and identified several
potential connections to the B2B Trail. The City
also commissioned the Allen Creek Berm: Feasibility
of Flood Reduction and Pedestrian Options (2013)
report, which investigated several initiatives that
could help connect 721 N. Main Street to the
B2B Trail. The study recommends installing two
parallel culverts underneath the railroad berm,
one for the Allen Creek floodway and another
for pedestrians and bicyclists, connecting Depot
Street and the DTE site for an estimated cost of
$3.9 million. In addition to pedestrain and bicycle
links this project could dramatically reduce the
Allen Creek floodplain.
Adjacent Properties and Trail Crossings
According to the Parks & Recreation Open Space
Plan2011-2015,thedowntownareahasashortage
of open space relative to the rest of the city. This
limitsbothrecreationalandstormwatermitigation
opportunities. Incorporating downtown and city-
owned parcels into a greenway trail could help
alleviate these problems.
The City’s Downtown Plan (2009) sets a goal
of reinforcing the stability of the residential
neighborhoods surrounding downtown through
incremental transitions including intermediate-
scale residential development. According to
the Downtown Plan, a greenway could act as an
identifiable boundary between downtown and
adjacent neighborhoods, buffering adjacent uses
with “step-down” development (e.g., medium-
density mixed-income housing). From an
infrastructure improvement point-of-view, the
City’s Non-motorized Transportation Plan (2007, with
update 2013) and the corresponding section of
the Capital Improvements Plan 2014-2019 identify
design principles, funding, and sequencing for
creating safe mid-block non-motorized crossings
that would accommodate trail users and stitch
together neighborhoods across the rail line. The
City has identified railroad crossings at Liberty
Street, Huron Street, and Miller Avenue as
potential major mid-block crossings; Hill Street
and Hoover Street are identified as potential
minor mid-block crossings.
Finally, City plans propose that three city-
owned parcels (415 W. Washington, First and
William, and 721 N. Main Street) serve as major
anchor sites along a trail. Each site has soil
contamination and/or building deterioration
issues. As stated in the Allen Creek Greenway
Task Force’s Report (2007), redevelopment for
an Allen Creek greenway project must consider
additional brownfield mitigation costs.
Stormwater Management
The Allen Creek valley is one of Ann Arbor’s
defining natural features. While the creek is now
enclosedinapipebeneaththeground,itsnorthern
most two miles are significantly impaired, and
those living in this area experience flash flooding
and poor water quality. The Stormwater Model
Calibration and Analysis Preliminary Results and
Recommendations (2014) found the Lower Allen
Creek has the most frequent and severe flooding
in the City. As stated in the Watershed Management
Plan for the Huron River (2011), the Creek’s culverts
and drains are undersized; this often causes
flooding that endangers the 707 properties
within the 100-year floodplain. According to the
Allen Creek Greenway Task Force’s Report (2007)
and the City’s Flood Mitigation Plan (2007), 100%
of National Flood Insurance Program claims
from Ann Arbor have originated from properties
within one quarter mile of Allen Creek. Based

11
on water samples, the amount of nutrients
(phosphorus, nitrates, nitrites), suspended solids
(sediment), and pathogens (E. coli) in this water
exceed the City’s new Stormwater Calibration Model
and federal water quality guidelines. Ranked
by the Model as the top area of flood risk and
poor water quality in the City, expanding green
space and integrating the best stormwater
management practices along an Allen Creek trail
would demonstrate Ann Arbor’s commitment to
progressive water management.
Neighborhood Connections and Input
Community engagement directly and indirectly
related to Allen Creek has been going on for
over 10 years through citizen advisory groups,
public meetings, interviews, and surveys. While
individual comments vary, there is broad support
for a greenway. Community engagement is
important in creating an Allen Creek trail because
of the trail’s potential to connect different land
uses, including residential neighborhoods,
commercial centers, parks, and institutional
activities (for example at the University of
Michigan’s athletic facilities). The vision that
emerged from the public input process of the
North Main-Huron River Task Force Report (2013)
was for an Allen Creek corridor that increases
connections between the above destinations,
while being a recreational destination in itself.
The Task Force’s Report (2007) and Visioning the
Allen Creek Greenway (2012) identified two key
neighborhood stakeholders: the Downtown
Development Authority (DDA) and the
University of Michigan. These two stakeholders,
in addition to the City and the owner of the Ann
Arbor Railroad, could benefit from the creation
of a trail along Allen Creek. For the DDA, a
trail would help form a transition between the
residential and commercial areas, while adding
recreational and green space to downtown.
According to the Visioning (2012) report, UM’s
involvement would form “part of the critical
first step” that would make the creation of the
trail viable in Ann Arbor.
Rail and Transit
Trails along rail corridors invariably raise safety
and liability issues for railroad owners. The U.S.
Departmentof Transportation’s(USDOT)report,
Rails-with-Trails: Lessons Learned (2002), found that
accidents between trains and pedestrians are less
frequent when closed fencing separates a trail
from the rail. The Ann Arbor Railroad is a major
thoroughfare for fans traveling to the game on
football Saturdays, posing major liability issues
for the rail owner (WATCO). A designated trail
could help decrease rail trespassing. In addition,
the USDOT report suggests that the liability of
pedestrians using a trail could be shifted to the
City through indemnification agreements, which
could entice WATCO to support the Allen Creek
trail.
Although the Ann Arbor railroad is currently
used for infrequent short-line services (local
line-haul railroads), proposed commuter projects
could increase its use, which will increase the
need for pedestrian safety. The North/South
Figure 2-3. Flooding at Felch Street and Ashley
Street in 2013. The Allen Creek valley sees
frequent floods.

12
Commuter Rail (WALLY) project’s evaluation
of downtown Ann Arbor station sites proposes
eight commuter trains daily, connecting Howell
to a proposed downtown station located between
Washington Street and Liberty Street. Meanwhile,
the AAATA is exploring six corridor options for
local transit service known as the Ann Arbor
Connector. One route would follow the railroad
property starting at Madison Street and proceed
south for 1.75 miles, thus complicating the trail’s
potential location within this stretch of the route.
Funding
Constructing an Allen Creek trail would most
likely require a combination of funding sources
that could necessitate phased implementation.
The Allen Creek Greenway Task Force’s Report
(2007) reviewed funding options for a greenway
trail. It suggested that funding requirements
fall into three categories: land acquisition and
easements, park and trail development, and on-
going management and maintenance. Locally,
a source of one time funds could be the
time-limited 2004 Open Space and Parkland
Preservation millage. Commonly known as the
Greenbelt Millage, one-third of these funds
are targeted for land acquisition. Other local
funds might include mitigation funds from new
development or a capital improvement millage.
TheRossSchoolStudy(2005)alsoidentifiedmany
potential funding sources, recommending the
BrownfieldTIFandtheDowntownDevelopment
Authority TIF as the most promising options.
The study also identified numerous funding
sources from the Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality, the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development, the
Federal Emergency Managment Agency, the
Michigan Department of Transportation, and
local government. Many of these are targeted at
watershed improvements, trails, and brownfield
development. Other possible sources of funding
include local foundation support for capital costs,
nonprofit and/or local business support for
operating costs, and Michigan Department of
Natural Resources trail funding. These funding
sources should be revisited due to the time that
has elapsed since the studies were written.
Conclusion
Afterreviewing65cityplansandotherdocuments
concerning an Allen Creek greenway, several key
findings emerge. We determined that only in
the Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy’s 2008
report was a detailed route for the path identified.
In general the approaches for thinking about trail
alignment fall into two categories: exclusively
following the railroad corridor, or deviating
from the railroad in downtown to follow Allen
Creek to the Huron River. In all routes a portion
of a trail will be adjacent to the railroad, which
raises safety and liability concerns. The U.S.
Department of Transportation offers guidelines
that include physical design interventions, such
as fences, and model indemnification agreements
to reduce the railroad’s liability concerns. Several
plans suggest phasing the implementation of
the project, and two plans divide the length
of a trail into three distinct segments: South
Campus/ Stadium, Downtown, and Residential/
Industrial Mix of North Main. Within Ann
Arbor’s Master Plan, the Parks & Recreation Open
Space Plan 2011-2015 noted the shortage of
open space in downtown, and the Downtown Plan
(2009) suggested that a trail could form a needed
buffer between the downtown core and the
residential Old West Side neighborhood. From
a stormwater perspective, the project could
address water quality and quantity problems,
directly and through education. Together, these
issues and plans framed our efforts as we sought
community input and compared potential routes.

13
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
The Green the Way project began with the idea
that an Allen Creek trail cannot be built without
the support and commitment of the Ann Arbor
community. To gauge this support, our first goal
was to talk with residents at public outreach
tables at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market,
YMCA, and the Downtown Library of the Ann
Arbor District Library. We also elicited feedback
through an online survey open to all Ann Arbor
residents to help understand specific areas of
interest and concern. The public outreach tables
and online survey were advertised by posters in
local businesses. To engage the next generation
of trail users, we launched an art competition for
Ann Arbor students.
The Green the Way team was able to dig
deeper into specific issues at meetings with
key stakeholder groups like the Old West Side
Association and the Washtenaw Bicycling and
Walking Coalition. Finally, we concluded our
project by inviting everyone we had engaged
to Green the Way’s public presentation of final
recommendations on December 16, 2014, at
Ann Arbor District Library’s Downtown Library.
In this chapter we document key themes
expressed by community residents, such as safety
on the trail and linkages to neighborhood assets
and existing trails. We used this feedback to help
develop our recommended Green the Way Route
and to incorporate trail features that are intended
to help all users feel safe on the trail. Designing
a trail that Ann Arbor residents want is key to
building a trail that Ann Arbor residents will use.
Public Outreach Tables
Our team used public outreach tables to raise
awareness of the Green the Way project with the
general public in Ann Arbor. Starting in October,
we staffed tables at the Ann Arbor Farmers
Market and YMCA that contained a large map
of the proposed trail, postcards with additional
information, Green the Way buttons, and a sign-
Figure 3-1. Team members Matt and Arthur
staffing our public outreach table at the Ann
Arbor Farmers Market

14
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
up sheet for members of the public to receive
additional updates on the project and online
survey. Green the Way team members engaged
with the public for 34 hours over five days at
the Farmers Market and for four hours over two
days at the YMCA. During this time, we solicited
feedback and answered questions from over 160
people. In addition to our staffed outreach tables,
we set up a standalone information table at the
Downtown Library of the Ann Arbor District
Library.
The Green the Way team gathered feedback at
these public outreach tables on issues like trail
use, safety, and access to destinations. This
feedback helped us define and evaluate different
study routes and trail configurations. The
conversations at these tables also helped us to
identify community and neighborhood groups to
contact.
Key findings from our conversations at
public outreach tables include:
• Ann Arbor residents and visitors expressed
a strong interest in building a trail in this
corridor, especially if it were safe and
comfortable.
◦◦ While the majority of the people we
talked to supported the plan, some
were concerned with implementation,
specifically when the trail would get built,
and how much it would cost.
• The highest interest destinations were
recreational facilities along the Huron
River, especially the Border-to-Border Trail.
◦◦ Residents that lived near the trail were
particularly interested in reaching
downtown.
• The greatest interest in trail use was for
recreation, followed by commuting, dog-
walking, and accessing destinations.
• Some residents and visitors were
particularly excited to have a safe space
to bike with children, along a trail that
would be separated from street traffic. One
resident remarked that a lack of protected
bikeways currently makes Ann Arbor
“starkly different from Madison.”
• Some residents were particularly interested
in providing green space downtown and
highlighting natural features like the Allen
Creek.
◦◦ A few residents hoped to daylight the
creek, opening up storm sewers and
reconstructing the creek.
Survey
The Green the Way team gathered feedback
about trail preferences through an online survey.
In a five-week period, 609 residents responded
with 520 completed surveys. The survey was
open to all members of the public.
To encourage residents to complete the survey,
we distributed posters to over 50 Ann Arbor
businesses to place on windows and community
Figure 3-2. Green the Way’s public outreach
table at the YMCA

15
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
boards. The Green the Way team also placed
posters in university buildings, including the
Michigan Union and the Central Campus
Recreation Building, to encourage students to
participate.
The survey contained seven questions about
the trail and three questions about respondents’
demographics, including years lived in Ann
Arbor, number and age of household members,
and the intersection closest to their home. For
the purposes of analysis, we approximated
respondents’ distance from an Allen Creek
trail using the existing railroad line; as a result,
“distance from trail” is synonymous with
“distance from railroad.” Survey respondents
chose from predefined options for all but one of
the survey questions. In addition to completing
the survey, 182 respondents provided their email
addresses and were invited to Green the Way’s
final presentation. See Appendices B and C for
survey questions and responses.
Most respondents (64 percent) indicated that
they live more than half a mile from the trail.
The specific areas with the highest number of
respondents were, in order: the Old West Side,
Kerrytown, and Burns Park near Packard Street
and E. Stadium Boulevard. Twenty-two percent
of respondents indicated that they live in a
household with at least one child aged fifteen or
younger. At the opposite end of the spectrum,
23 percent of respondents live in households
with at least one person aged 61 or older. The
average respondent had lived in Ann Arbor for
21 years, with a range of three months to 70
years of residence in the City.
A majority of respondents were familiar with
the idea of an Allen Creek trail, with 64 percent
reporting that they are familiar or very familiar
with the project. Some respondents may have
been familiar with an Allen Creek trail only
because of their interactions with us at public
outreach tables and community meetings. We
encouraged both of these groups of people to
take our survey, and the survey did not track
other involvement with Green the Way project
efforts.
The survey sought feedback about three main
items related to the trail: routing, design, and
implementation. This included specific questions
on trail features, such as lighting and artwork.
Other questions focused on preferences relating
to a potential trail—such as concerns about
flooding, willingness to walk farther to avoid
difficult intersections, and individuals’ comfort
level around active railroads.
0 0.25 0.5 miles
N
DOWNTOWN
KERRYTOWN/
OLD 4th WARD
WATER HILL
UM CENTRAL
CAMPUS
Huron
River
GERMANTOWN
OLD WEST
SIDE
UM ATHLETIC
FACILITIES
BURNS PARK
HuronRiver
Rail
Huron River
0
204
Survey Respondents
Per Square Mile
Figure 3-3. Map showing where survey
respondents in Ann Arbor live. Areas in red had
the highest concentration of survey respondents

16
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
Table 3-1. Trail activity frequency by proximity of home to proposed trail (n=609)
Commuting
(%)
Social
activities (%)
Errands or
shopping (%)
Recreation or
exercise (%)
Half mile or less from trail
Daily or several times a week 30 33 38 53
Weekly or monthly 27 59 45 45
Never 43 8 18 2
Total 100 100 100 100
More than half a mile from trail
Never 61 17 34 5
Total 100 100 100 100
Table 3-2. Trail activity frequency by housing type (n=609)

Commuting
(%)
Social
activities (%)
Errands or
shopping (%)
Recreation or
exercise (%)
All respondents
Never 55 14 30 5
Total 100 100 100 100
Houses with 1+ senior
Never 69 18 32 6
Total 100 100 100 100
Families with young children
Never 53 14 27 4
Total 100 100 100 100
Key findings from the Green the Way Survey:
Most desirable trail activity: recreation or exercise
One of the key questions on trail use asked
respondents to rank the following possible trail
activities: 1) commuting, 2) social activities, 3) shopping
or errands, or 4) recreation or exercise.
Survey respondents most desired to use a trail
for recreation or exercise. Nearly all respondents
reported that they would use the trail for these
purposes at least monthly while, 43 percent
reported that they would use the trail for these
purposes at least several days a week. Social
activities were the second most popular activity,

17
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
with 87 percent of respondents indicating they
would use the trail for this purpose at least
monthly. This was followed closely by errands
and shopping (70 percent). In contrast, 55
percent of respondents reported that they would
never use the trail for commuting.
Recreation/exercise was popular even among
subgroups unlikely to use the trail for other
purposes; for example, 69 percent of households
with at least one senior reported that they would
never commute on the trail, yet 94 percent of
these same households were interested in using
the trail for exercise or recreation. Families
with young children also selected recreation or
exercise as their top choice, followed by social
activities, errands or shopping, and commuting.
While 57 percent of respondents living within
a half mile of the trail indicated they would
commute on the trail at least once per month, that
number dropped to 39 percent of respondents
who live more than a half mile from the proposed
trail. Instead of commuting, respondents living
farther from the trail indicated a preference
for recreation or exercise (95 percent), social
activities (83 percent) and errands or shopping
(66 percent). These findings suggest that people
who live farther from the proposed trail see the
trail as an opportunity to create a recreational
amenity in downtown Ann Arbor.
Strong Support for Six Destinations
Respondents rated their desire to reach 10
different destinations along the trail. In order
of popularity — based on the percentage of
respondents who rated them “important” or
“very important” — these destinations are:
• Border-to-Border Trail
• Argo Livery
• Bluffs Nature Area
• West Park
• Ann Arbor Farmers Market
• YMCA
• Michigan Stadium
• Washtenaw Dairy
• Bill’s Beer Garden
• Blank Slate Creamery
Over 50 percent of respondents selected the
top six destinations. In addition to the 10 pre-
defined destinations in the survey, respondents
Huron
River
Less Important
Legend
Allen Creek Drain
Floodway
Flood Plain
City Park
Railroad
N
0 0.25 0.5 miles
More Important
Number of Survey
Respondents
SUMMIT ST.
FELCH ST.
KINGSLEY ST.
CATHERINE ST.
HURON ST.
WASHINGTON ST.
LIBERTY ST.
WILLIAM ST.
JEFFERSON ST.
MADISON ST.
HILL ST.
HOOVER ST.
MAINST.
ASHLEYST.
STADIUM BLVD.
STATEST.
1stST.
MAINST.
BROADW
AY
MILLER AVE.
Bluffs Nature Area
Argo Livery
Border-to-Border Trail
Farmer’s Market
West Park
Blank Slate Creamery Bill’s Beer Garden
Michigan Stadium
Washtenaw Dairy
YMCA
367
448 480
338
353
157
273
206
212
228
Important Trail
Destinations to
Survey Respondents
228
Figure 3-4. Map showing survey respondents’
important destinations that should be linked to
an Allen Creek trail
.

18
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
were able to to state additional locations in an
“other” category. Locations identified included
downtown (eight mentions), other parks (six
respondents identified Bandemer Park), Argus
Farm Stop (six mentions), the Huron River
(five mentions), and the Amtrak station (four
mentions). Please refer to Appendices D, E, and
F for a full list of open-ended survey responses.
Important Trail Functions
Flood mitigation emerged as an important or
very important trail feature among 89 percent
of respondents. Both respondents living within
a half mile of the proposed trail and those
living farther away reported strong support
for flood mitigation, with 91 percent and 89
percent, respectively, rating this trail function as
“important” or “very important”. This finding
suggests that awareness of flooding and support
for flood mitigation extends far beyond the
immediate Allen Creek area.
Support for public artwork was notably lower
than other trail features. Residents living close to
the trail were the strongest supporters of public
artwork, with 54 percent voicing support for this
feature compared to 36 percent of respondents
living farther away. This finding suggests
that people living close to the trail are more
concerned with the trail’s appearance compared
to more distant residents. Responses from the
open-ended portion also echoed the need for
beautification measures like greenery and natural
landscaping.
Other observations
• For the majority of respondents, creating
a trail next to the railroad was not a
safety concern. More than 90 percent of
respondents said that they are comfortable
using a trail next to an active railroad.
• There is broad awareness of flooding.
Seventy-seven percent of respondents
believe that flooding is a problem in Ann
Arbor.
• Ninety-six percent of residents want Huron
River water quality to be improved.
• Three-quarters of respondents reported
that they have walked or biked longer
routes to avoid difficult intersections.
Survey respondents gave a fair amount of
feedback on the open comment portion at the
end of the survey. A total of 181 respondents
took the time to write a comment and four major
themes emerged:
General support: Many respondents were in
support of the project, leaving comments like
“great idea!” and “Don’t give up. This will
take a lot of effort over the years.”
Action: Many respondents noted how eager they
were for trail construction to begin. Comments
included: “Do something already!” and “I’d
like to see this in my lifetime!”
Daylighting: Although our research made it clear
that daylighting the Allen Creek is not currently a
viable option, some respondents were interested
in making it part of the trail project. Specific
comments urged plans to “Bring Allen Creek
back to the surface. There must be a way.”
Trail separation: Many respondents want the
proposed trail to separate bicycle riders from
other trail users. One respondent noted: “Make
it WIDE and put a painted divider line to
encourage separation of high speed from
lowspeed traffic. E.g., cyclist, joggers,
rollerbladers from walkers and families with
children.”
Although the overall sentiment from survey
respondents about the trail was positive, not all
respondents were supportive. A few respondents
expressed doubt about the viability of the project,
questioning the wisdom of building a trail next to

19
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
an active railroad. Another respondent suggested
that the City should “fix the infrastructure
first.” Thus, some respondents feel that it is not
worthwhile to construct a trail without assuring
trail quality or addressing infrastructure needs.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge potential
limitations with our survey. Although we
received many completed surveys, these results
should not be taken to represent the views of the
entire Ann Arbor community. Sixty-four percent
of survey respondents were already familiar or
very familiar with the trail. The the majority of
survey respondents also lived close to downtown.
Because the survey was only available online, the
results exclude the opinions of those without
Internet access or those unwilling to use the
Internet.
Art Competition
Youth are frequently excluded from traditional
planning processes. In an effort to include them,
we launched a youth public art ideas competition.
With sponsorship from the Dow Sustainability
Fellows Program, we had $5,000 to cover prizes
and expenses.
In collaboration with the Allen Creek Greenway
Conservancy, the Green the Way Student
Art Ideas Competition encouraged students
to integrate sustainability and environmental
awareness into an Allen Creek trail by designing
artwork that could complement the greenway.
The competition was open to all students in
Washtenaw County, grades 6-12. Students were
asked to submit a unique works of art that could
be replicated and placed at various points along
the trail to mark its path.
The Green the Way project enlisted help of the
AnnArborPublicSchoolartteacherstoshapethe
call for submission and ensure that we engaged
youth in a meaningful way. Award amounts were
substantial with a first-place prize of $1,500, a
second-place prize of $1’000 and a third-place
prize of $500. Fourteen schools participated in
the competition. The entries will be displayed in
Ann Arbor and a jury will select the winners in
January, 2015.
Community Meetings
We prioritized face-to-face meetings with
community groups. These meetings helped to
gather suggestions from residents and hear their
concerns. At each meeting we asked residents
to specify how they would use the trail, identify
key local connections and safety considerations,
and document additional route suggestions or
concerns.
The Green the Way team reached out to 11
neighborhood groups who are geographically
Figure 3-5. Green the Way team member Luke
facilitates a community meeting

20
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
close to the proposed trail and two advocacy
groups representing possible key users of the
trail. We attended seven community group
meetings, with 65 total residents. These groups
were:
• Washtenaw Biking and Walking Coalition
(board meeting and general meeting);
• Sierra Club, Huron Valley Group, Michigan
Chapter;
• North Central Neighborhood Association;
• Old West Side Association and Near West
Side neighborhood (combined meeting);
• Water Hill neighborhood; and
• Germantown Neighborhood Association.
Any groups that were not able to meet with the
Green the Way team were invited to provide their
feedback through e-mail, the online survey, and
attending the public presentation.
Additionally, the current council members
for Wards 1, 4, and 5 were informed of the
community meetings in their wards and invited
to attend. All 10 council members were invited
to attend the public presentation.
A few common themes emerged from our
meetings with community members:
Safety was a common topic of discussion for
community groups, including both personal
safety and traffic safety. Personal safety concerns,
which relate to fear of crime, included a desire
for adequate lighting for evening use and a
desire for an active and lively trail environment.
Traffic safety concerns, which relate to avoiding
crashes, included a desire for safety from cars at
intersections and railroad crossings, as well as
separation between bicyclists and pedestrians.
Desired links to different amenities was also
discussed often in these sessions. Residents
wanted the proposed trail to connect to
destinations in Ann Arbor and serve as a
recreational tool to get to certain destinations.
These potential links included:
• Downtown area businesses;
• Other parks and trails (B2B trail, Argo
Canoe Livery); and
• Briarwood Mall.
Much of the information gathered in these
meetings closely mirrored our survey results,
especially in terms of trail safety and destinations.
Additionally, in each community meeting
participantswereaskedtodrawtheirdesiredroute
for the proposed trail on a map of Ann Arbor.
This collaborative mapping exercise garnered
fruitful discussions about nearby amenities and
how the proposed trail could benefit their daily
lives and activities. Figure 3-7 is an aggregate
map that combines all the community maps
gathered in our meetings. The map indicates that
many community members are familiar with the
railroad as a primary routing option; few maps
depicted routes that strayed far from the railroad.
The most variation in participants’ maps is seen
in the northern section of the trail, where the
Figure 3-6. Washtenaw Biking and Walking
Coalition members use maps to draw potential
routes and identify important destinations

21
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
LIBERTY
LIBERTY
LIBERTY
MADISON
HURON
WASHINGTON
HURON
BROADWAY
LAIRTSUDNIHTUOS
MAIN
DIVISION
FIFTH
MAIN
MAIN
ETATS
ETATS
HTNEVES
HTNEVES
MILLER
MILLER
ARBORVIEW
ANN
CATHERINE
ARGO
POND
B2B
TRAIL
SOUTH UNVERSITY
HOOVER
HILL
PACKARD
PACKARD
STADIUM
ALLEN CREEK
ALLEN CREEK FLOODWAY
ALLEN CREEK FLOODPLAIN
RAILROAD
PARKS
CITY OWNED LAND
UNIVERSITY OWNED LAND
DDA
ANN ARBOR, MIN
MOVING FORWARD ON AN
ALLEN CREEK TRAIL
heGREEN WAY
Figure 3-7. Map showing overlay of trail routes drawn by participants at
community meetings. Most participants drew routes along the railroad, although
there is more variation to the north.

22
3. COMMUNITY INPUT
Green the Way team had previously identified
various routing options. This is especially true
for a connection to the B2B Trail, where no
consensus is evident on participants’ maps. A
number of participants also drew connections to
West Park and down Liberty Street.
During the course of our community meetings,
we found that residents of Ann Arbor were
generally eager and excited about the prospect
of an Allen Creek trail. Residents who had
used urban trails in other cities were especially
enthusiastic about about developing a similar
trail in Ann Arbor.
Summary of Community Input
Our methods of community engagement allowed
us to collect different types of input from a
variety of community members. Nonetheless,
a few themes emerged. Community members
want:
• Recreational opportunities prioritized above
commuter uses
• Stormwater and water quality issues
addressed in the Allen Creek valley
• Safety prioritized along the trail. This
encompasses different dimensions of
safety: personal safety, safety from cars at
crossings, safety at night, safety from fast
moving bicyclists or other users
• Local destinations and amenities linked to
the trail, especially those at the northern
end of the trail
While we tried to be as inclusive and
comprehensive as possible in our community
engagement, our efforts were not without
limitations. Table 3 summarizes some of the
strengths and limitations of our community
engagement efforts.
The wide-ranging community collected provides
a solid base upon which we have built the trail
features, study routes, and our recommended
Green the Way Route, described in the following
two chapters of this report. We recommend
that future public engagement be targeted to
solve more specific challenges in designing
and implementing a trail. Please see Chapter 5
for recommendations about future community
engagement.
Table 3-3. Strengths and weaknesses of community input process
Strengths Limitations
Open process with multiple ways for residents
to share their opinions
Narrow time frame from September to
December 2014
Over 600 Ann Arbor residents responded to
online survey
Online survey is only accessible to users with
internet access
Community meetings provided a forum to
better understand concerns raised in survey
Self-selection: participants who attended
were more knowledgeable than the general
community

23
4. TRAIL FEATURES
& DESIGN
After describing trail features that are common
to all routes, this chapter introduces and
compares four study routes. In specifying these
features and study routes, the Green the Way
team used insights gained from previous studies
and documents, as reported in Chapter 2, and
community input, as reported in Chapter 3. The
ideas and route evaluations contained in this
chapter informed the recommended Green the
Way Route that we describe in Chapter 5.
TRAIL FEATURES
As part of our route analysis we identified features that would be common to all routes. These
trail features include gateway parks, design elements, railroad considerations, road and sidewalk
crossings, and personal safety infrastructure.
Gateway Parks
While there would be many places to access an Allen Creek trail, gateways are unique spaces that
orient users to the trail, Allen Creek, and Ann Arbor, and accommodate activities and users
beyond dedicated trail use.
Figure 4-1. The Green the Way team studying route options

24
4. TRAIL FEATURES
North Gateway
The city property at 721 N. Main Street
would mark the northern edge of the
trail. In the short term this property
would include a small parking area,
bicycle racks, a trail map and educational
signage about Allen Creek. Long term,
the park would include extensive rain
gardens and stormwater infrastructure.
There would also be demonstration areas
with examples of native vegetation and
“yard-type” rain gardens. This location
would benefit from public restrooms
and a small maintenance area.
We propose a short-term connection
to the existing Border-to-Border Trail
over the Broadway Bridge, following
a path from 721 N. Main along E.
Summit Street through Wheeler Park.
Long-term plans could include a direct
connection, for example through the
proposed tunnel under the railroad
berm or using a new bridge over N.
Main Street. For further detail, see
“North Extension and Connection to
the Huron River” in Chapter 5.
Downtown Gateway
The City-owned property at First Street
and William Street, currently used as a surface parking lot, would mark the downtown anchor
of the trail. In the short term this area would contain rain gardens, bicycle racks, a trail map,
and educational signage about Allen Creek. Long-term this area would be a gathering point
for a network of downtown trails, and include an outdoor classroom with interactive exhibits
about water flow in Allen Creek.
South Gateway
The southern boundary of the trail would occur where the railroad crosses S. State Street,
near the intersection of S. State Street and Stimson Street. There are no City properties or
Figure 4-2. Gateway parks, rail considerations,
and road and sidewalk crossings
DOWNTOWN
KERRYTOWN/
OLD 4th WARD
WATER HILL
UM CENTRAL
CAMPUS
UM ATHLETIC
FACILITIES
Huron
River
GERMANTOWNOLD WEST
SIDE
Gateways
Road &Sidewalk
Crossings
Legend
Allen Creek Drain
Floodway
Flood Plain
City Park
Railroad
N
0 0.25 0.5 milesRailroad on Berm
Trail Features
SUMMIT ST.
FELCH ST.
KINGSLEY ST.
CATHERINE ST.
HURON ST.
WASHINGTON ST.
LIBERTY ST.
WILLIAM ST.
JEFFERSON ST.
MADISON ST.
HILL ST.
HOOVER ST.
MAINST.
ASHLEYST.
STADIUM BLVD.
STATEST.
1stST.
MAINST.
BROADW
AY
MILLER AVE.

25
4. TRAIL FEATURES
undeveloped parcels in the immediate vicinity to provide a clear south gateway. At a minimum,
the southern gateway should include bicycle racks, car parking, open space for rain gardens,
and trail signage with a map and information on Allen Creek.
Ann Arbor residents indicated that the trail should make connections to the south, including
to the Briarwood Mall area and Ann Arbor Airport. We recommend that future work on an
Allen Creek trail consider these southern extensions, along with connections to existing trails
and parks along E. Stadium Boulevard and Washtenaw Avenue. For further detail, see “South
Extension to Pittsfield Township” in Chapter 5.
Design Elements
The basic features of a trail are surface, signage, and rain gardens. Many of these features have
well-established standards, and any recommendations here would be updated to match Ann
Arbor and Washtenaw County standards when construction begins. Further, specific details
are best handled during the landscape design phases of construction.
Trail Specifications
Width. At a minimum the path would be 10 feet wide with 2 feet wide shoulders, creating a
14 foot wide trail. In most locations the “greenway” characteristics of the trail, rain gardens,
green open space, and activity areas, will extend beyond the 14 foot trail width. Further, at
locations with high user volumes or complex merging of different types of users, the trail
should be wider if possible. This could happen near Michigan Stadium, or at the “gateways”.
Surface, Striping, and Markings.
The surface of the trail would be asphalt or concrete in a limited number of locations. The
mix and trail surface should be chosen with year-round maintenance and heavy use in mind.
The high water table in the Allen Creek floodway means that pervious surfaces are not
recommended; during rain events it is possible
that water could rise through the surface,
which is detrimental to the trail and stormwater
management. Run-off from the trail would be
handled through rain gardens.
The majority of the trail would be striped with
two lanes, separating two-way traffic and creating
passing zones for users traveling at different
speeds (see Figure 4-3). The striping material
should be reflective, increasing its visibility
during the early morning and evening.
Figure 4-3. Two-lane path striping

26
4. TRAIL FEATURES
There are a number of different markings that
could be applied to the trail surface: distance
and mile markers; traffic and safety directions
at intersections; branding graphics; and active
children’s games (see Figure 4-4). Markings
should be coordinated with other forms of
signage and can help create an active trail
by engaging the surface of the trail itself in
telling the story of Allen Creek or Ann Arbor.
However, all marking should be clear and
consistent, adding to wayfinding along the trail.
While trail sections are being constructed,
temporary connections on city sidewalks and
streets will be required. Consistent markings
applied to these temporary routes could create a
continuous route before trail completion.
Signage
Signage is one of the most important aspects of a well-defined trail. Creating an identifiable
trail logo, and coordinating colors, fonts, map, and diagram styles, would help users recognize
the trail and follow it. The types of signage that would be part of the trail include:
• User safety, including traffic signs, warnings
at railroad and road crossings
• User guidelines
• Wayfinding, including maps and directional
signposts for neighborhood destinations
• Education, including information about
Allen Creek, stormwater management, Ann
Arbor history, and neighborhood assets
• Public engagement, featuring signs to
encourage physical activity, mark special
events, and include public art
Rain Gardens
An Allen Creek trail would be as much a piece of stormwater management infrastructure as
it would be a trail. Rain gardens handling trail and adjacent surface runoff in order to help
mitgate flooding issues in the floodway are as integral to trail design as the trail itself.
Figure 4-4. Safety, traffic, and mile
markers on trail surfaces
Figure 4-5. Trail signs and logos

27
4. TRAIL FEATURES
Rain Gardens are shallow detention areas that
store stormwater during small storms or handle
overflow during large rain events. Best planted
with deep-rooted plants, they are adaptable to
linear locations, adjacent to sidewalks and roads,
wider trail side areas, and large yards and fields.
There are rain gardens in Ann Arbor along Miller
Avenue and at the YMCA similar to those that
would be installed along a trail or at the gateway
parks (see Figures 4-6 and 4-7).
Railroad Considerations
Rail-with-trail projects are well-established.
Three key concepts describe how active railroads
interact with trails: buffer space separating rail
from trail, physical barriers, and rail crossings. The recommended buffer widths and barrier
types vary based on railroad traffic and right-of-way widths. (The railroad property which
surrounds the railroad tracks is also referred to as railroad right-of-way. This report uses the
two terms interchangeably.) Trail crossings also require special attention.
Buffer Space
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) rail standards identify a space 8.5 feet from
the center of railroad tracks as the “minimum clear space,” where no “bridges, structures,
poles, or obstructions” can be located (MDOT, n.d.). Similarly, the Federal Highway
Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic
Control Devices recommends a six-foot “dynamic
envelope” measured outward from each rail,
which is equivalent to 8.5 feet from the center
of the tracks (FHWA, p. 767). This space allows
for overhang from freight cars and the natural
“wobble” that occurs as trains move. The study
routes presented later in this chapter each exceed
this minimum separation distance even at the
narrowest clearance points between rail and
trail, including space for a barrier and additional
room between the barrier and trail surface.
Figure 4-6. Small rain garden at Miller
Avenue
Figure 4-7. Large swale at the Ann
Arbor YMCA

28
4. TRAIL FEATURES
Physical Barriers
Proper barriers, such as ornamental iron picket
fences and chain link fences, deter trespassing
on railroad tracks (FHWA, 2002). Ornamental
iron picket fences are more difficult to climb
and vandalize, but are also more expensive. Any
fence that divides the rail from the trail would
be at least six feet high (See Figure 4-8).
Fencing would be installed south of Hill Street
where trespassing occurs frequently on football
game days. The fencing would help contain
foot traffic to a safe and designated area. In
general, fencing would be installed whenever
the rail is relatively level with the trail (south of
Washington Street), and especially on segments where the railroad property is narrow, such as
between Hill Street and Madison Street.
While fencing helps to prevent pedestrians from interfering with rail operations, it could be
impractical at locations where the rail crosses closely-spaced streets. The railroad occupies
small triangles of land adjacent to many downtown crossings such as William Street and
Liberty Street. These areas would not be fenced. Also, fencing would not be required where
the path runs next to elevated railroad segments with steep side slopes. This is the case from
Washington Street northward.
Rail Crossings
Most study routes suggest east-west track crossings mid-block on Hill Street and/or Hoover
Street. In these locations, the trail would cross the tracks perpendicularly using existing or
Figure 4-8. Mission City Bike Trail
next to Metrolink commuter rail line,
San Fernando, CA
Figure 4-9. Crossing gates
installed beyond sidewalk
edge to block sidewalk and
road, Ft. Collins, CO
Figure 4-10. Fencing and
crossing gates at rail/trail
crossing, Irvine, CA
Crossing Gates
Currently, there
are no road or
sidewalk gates at
railroad crossings
in downtown Ann
Arbor. Increased
pedestrian and
bicycle traffic may
require upgrades.
TRAIL FEATURES

29
4. TRAIL FEATURES
expanded sidewalks. The mid-block street crossing would follow the guidelines described in
the paragraphs that follow. Additionally, a crosswalk beacon may be appropriate and crossing
gates spanning both the street and sidewalk could be used to guard the railroad crossing itself.
Road and Sidewalk Crossings
A trail through the central area of Ann Arbor
would require road and sidewalk crossings. A
greenway presents an opportunity to prioritize
anddesignthesecrossingstosafelyaccommodate
all users. Many crossings along these routes fall
into typical crossing types based on their common
features. At a few specific road and sidewalk crossings,
common to many routes, current conditions
pose special challenges.
Typical Crossing Types
Stop Sign Intersections- When any of our study
routes encounters a stop sign, generally the
route makes a sharp, right-angle turn at the same
intersection. Thus, pedestrians and bicyclists would cross a street at a crosswalk and immediately
turn to either continue on the trail or cross another street. This type of intersection presents
two challenges. First, providing safety from cars; and second, allocating sufficient space for
bicyclists to maneuver without blocking other
trail users.
We propose narrowing the road at stop sign
intersections and expanding the sidewalk,
giving bicyclists and pedestrians more space.
Additionally the intersection and crosswalks
should include lighting for nighttime visibility,
pavement markings, and signage to increase the
visibility of the trail and its users (see Figure
4-11).
Mid-block Crossings- This report describes
locations drivers do not expect to stop, either
between intersections or at intersections where
the larger street does not stop, as mid-block
crossings. To make mid-block crossings as safe
Figure 4-11. Enhanced stop sign
intersection along Indianapolis
Cultural Trail, featuring high-visibility
crosswalks and corner bump-outs
TRAIL FEATURES
Figure 4-12. A rendering of a speed
table, a design solution to increase
safety where the trail crosses streets
mid-block

30
4. TRAIL FEATURES
as possible, we propose using widened and raised crosswalks, otherwise known as speed tables.
At a speed table the road is raised where the trail crossing occurs and for a short distance
ahead and behind it (see Figure 4-12). Speed tables slow cars down and eliminate grade change
in the trail by keeping it at curb and sidewalk height. We also recommend that speed tables be
accompanied by curb-bump outs to reduce the street crossing distance, along with lighting to
increase visibility at night. In some locations, it may be too difficult to design speed tables that
also accommodate stormwater drainage. In those
cases as well as in higher traffic areas, flashing
crossing beacons could be considered.
Specific Road and Sidewalk Crossings
First Street and Liberty Street
At the intersection of First Street and Liberty
Street the trail would connect from the
Downtown Gateway, otherwise known as the
Allen Creek Outdoor Classroom, to the 415 W.
Washington Street parcel. This would require
two crossings of busy streets (See Figure 4-13).
The crosswalk across First Street is the longest
in the proposed route, exposing pedestrians and
bicyclists to traffic for a longer period of time.
The sidewalks around the intersection are narrow,
providing little room to accommodate trail users.
Driveways into Blank Slate Creamery and 305
W. Liberty (Liberty Lofts Annex) create conflict
points for cars and sidewalk users. The railroad
tracks also cut through the southwest corner of
the intersection, limiting the amount of space for
crossing.
In the short term, we suggest that the trail follow
existing crosswalks on the south and west sides
of the intersection. This solution would involve
widening sidewalks, using bump-outs, and
increasing trail visibility. In the long term, this
could be an intersection where grade separation
is explored.
TRAIL FEATURES
Figure 4-13. First Street and Liberty
Street intersection
Figure 4-14. First Street and William
Street intersection

31
4. TRAIL FEATURES
First Street and William Street
The intersection of First Street and William
Street presents similar challenges to the
intersection at Liberty Street. The railroad tracks
cross William mid-block at an angle, and limit
the amount of space around the intersection.
Furthermore, the tracks would have to be crossed
to reach the proposed Downtown Gateway park.
We suggest routing a trail through the triangular
parcelof railroadpropertyonthenortheastcorner
of First and W. William in order to bridge the
connection from the trail south of William to the
Downtown Gateway park (See Figure 4-14).
This allows the trail to cross W. William and the
railroad tracks at a right angle, which is ideal for
safe crossings.
S. Main Street and Madison Street
The trail approaches Madison Street close to
where the street intersects with S. Main Street,
requiring two crossings in a short distance. The
crossings are complicated by the fact that S.
Main is wide with heavy traffic flow and narrow
sidewalks. The City’s Non-motorized Transportation
Plan Update recommends that S. Main be
converted from two lanes in each direction to
one lane in each direction, plus a center turn
lane, and on-road bike lanes (Ann Arbor, 2013,
p. 178-179). The reconfiguration would be an
opportunity to allocate some road space to
make it easier for trail users as well as on-road
bicyclists to traverse this intersection.
We propose crossing the intersection using the
south and west crosswalks. This represents the
Figure 4-16. Merge of on-road bicycle
lane with side path
TRAIL FEATURES
Figure 4-15. Main Street and Madison
Street intersection

32
4. TRAIL FEATURES
Figure 4-17. Trail emergency call light
or blue light
safest way to move trail users from one corner of
the intersection to the other, with a minimum of
right-angle turns. This crossing will be improved
when the City’s Non-motorized Transportation Plan
recommendations are implemented. At that
point it may be possible to widen the S. Main
Street sidewalks, providing extra space for trail
users. One potential option to explore is for the
new bike lanes to merge up onto the curb and
into the trail, similar to how bicycle lanes merge
on and off the sidewalk on Nixon Road (See
Figure 4-15).
Personal Safety Infrastructure
Personal safety was a recurring theme in
community meetings, at the public outreach
tables, and in survey responses. In addition to
the traffic safety measures previously noted,
we recommend incorporating specific elements
to increase personal safety and evening use of
the trail. The trail should be well lit at night,
particularly in narrow and constrained sections.
Additionally, blue lights with police call buttons
could be distributed along the route (See Figure
4-17). The route itself should have frequent and
well-defined entry and exit points.
TRAIL FEATURES

33
4. TRAIL DESIGN
THE STUDY ROUTES
Our analysis of previous plans and documents
revealed a range of motivations for an Allen
Creek trail. These include facilitating recreational
andcommuteruse,connectingneighborhoodand
downtown destinations, mitigating stormwater
and flooding issues around Allen Creek, and
increasing green space in downtown Ann
Arbor. Additionally, the documents show two
approaches for aligning a trail, either following
the historic creek bed or the railroad.
To explore the trade-offs between these interests
the Green the Way team specified four study
routes and compared their differences:
The 2008 Essential Route would provide a
basic route along the railroad. This study
route is based on a proposal developed by
the Allen Creek Greenway Conservancy.
The Minimal Rail Route would follow the
railroad while minimizing use of railroad
private property.
The Connections Route would focus on non-
motorized travel to destinations between
the Huron River, downtown and the south
end of the University of Michigan athletic
campus, connecting users to identified
destinations.
The Stormwater Route would prioritize
stormwater and flooding issues in the
Allen Creek valley. This route deviates
from the rail corridor near Kingsley Street
and follows the Allen Creek floodway to
the Huron River.
Evaluating Routes
We developed a list of evaluation criteria based on
the various motivations articulated for an Allen
Creek trail. These criteria allow us to compare
how well the different routes would perform.
Evaluation Criteria
Stormwater
• Improve water flow in the Allen Creek
valley
• Incorporate rain gardens and other
stormwater infrastructure
• Foster public awareness of Allen Creek
and the environmental challenges in
urban watersheds
Commuting
• Create a protected trail environment for
bicyclists and pedestrians
• Create a continuous travel experience by
minimizing crossings
Community Resources
• Provide bicycling and walking
connections to residential neighborhoods
• Highlight historic features of nearby
neighborhoods or natural environments
Safety
• Minimize secluded areas and provides
trail users with visibility into their
surroundings
• Minimize mid-block and non-
perpendicular pedestrian and bicycle
crossings of roads and railroad
• Minimize railroad crossings
Feasibility
• Minimize structure removal
• Minimize property acquisition
• Minimize linear feet of easements on
non-railroad private property
• Minimize linear feet on railroad property

DOWNTOWN
KERRYTOWN/
OLD4thWARD
WATERHILL
UMCENTRAL
CAMPUS
Huron
River
GERMANTOWNOLDWEST
SIDE
SUMMITST.
FELCHST.
KINGSLEYST.
CATHERINEST.
HURONST.
WASHINGTONST.
LIBERTYST.
WILLIAMST.
JEFFERSONST.
MADISONST.
YST.
1stST.
MAINST.
BROADW
AY
MILLERAVE.
Segment SegmentSegment ABACAD
721N.
MAINST.
DOWNTOWN
GATEWAYPARK
LINKTO
WESTPARK
PROPOSED
B2BLINK

UMCENTRAL
CAMPUS
UMATHLETIC
FACILITIES
GERMANTOWNOLDWEST
SIDE
MinimalRailRoute
Legend
AllenCreekDrain
Floodway
FloodPlain
CityPark
Railroad
N
00.250.5miles
2008Essential
Route
Connections
Route
StormwaterRoute
JEFFERSONST.
MADISONST.
HILLST.
HOOVERST.
MAINST.
ASHLEYST.
STADIUMBLVD.
STATEST.
1stST.
Segme SegmentAA
Segme SegmentAA
FUTURESOUTH
EXTENSION
Figure4-18.GreentheWaystudyroutes

36
4. TRAIL DESIGN
In order to apply the criteria, we developed
qualitative and quantitative descriptions for each
route. For qualitative analysis, each route has a
set of goals and a brief description of the trail
as it proceeds through the city. The quantitative
analysis provides a set of common metrics for
each route. These metrics include: length of
the proposed trail, with breakdowns into length
on city, railroad, University of Michigan and
other private property; number of railroad and
street crossings; number of parcels requiring
easements; and number of structures identified
for removal.
ROUTE GOALS
2008 Essential Route
Adapted from the Allen Creek Greenway
Conservancy’s Proposed Route of the Allen Creek
Greenway: Essentail Route and Future Opportunities;
January 2008 Draft
Goals
• Create a continuous trail route adjacent to
railroad property
• Identify railroad and other private property
along the route requiring easements
• Establish a rationale for a downtown
greenway park at 415 W. Washington Street
The 2008 Essential Route would largely run within
railroad property, and create a direct north-south
connection from the Huron River to the railroad
crossing at S. State Street. The route identifies
parcels and property owners adjacent to and in
the path of the route. Note: the Green the Way
team inferred the goals listed above from the
route’s path and accompanying descriptions; the
goals were not explicitly listed in the documents
we reviewed.
Advantages
The 2008 Essential Route would:
• Create a direct and legible route
• Propose property acquisitions and structure
demolition that could improve water flow
in the Allen Creek valley
• Link to existing walking and cycling routes,
including the bicycle lanes on E. Stadium
Boulevard and the Border-to-Border Trail
• Address issues surrounding development
in the floodplain and floodway by
recommending parks and open space
Limitations
The 2008 Essential Route would:
• Require negotiating many property
easements with the railroad and other
private property owners
• Increase cost by relying more on property
easements and acquisitions relative to the
other study routes
• Require further development to assess
the safety of pedestrian, bicycle, car and
railroad crossings at many locations along
the route
Figure 4-19. The Allen Creek Greenway
Conservancy proposed this wide section of
railroad property be used as a park featuring a
historic railroad turntable

37
4. TRAIL DESIGN
• Require a clear and feasible solution for the
acknowledged challenge of crossing the
railroad berm separating the northern trail
segment from the Huron River
• Recommend construction of significant
new infrastructure elements, mainly bridges,
that may require phasing
Minimal Rail Route
Goals
• Maximize distance between the route and
railroad-owned property
• Control the interface between rail and route
The Minimal Rail Route is designed to minimize
interaction between a trail and the railroad.
In some areas, rail-trail crossings and railroad
property easements are difficult to avoid without
jeopardizing the continuity and feasibility of
the trail. Avoiding railroad property requires
easements on property located next to the
railroad property. It also requires engaging with
the University of Michigan and the City of Ann
Arbor, owners of approximately 60 percent
of the property within this route. With willing
partners, the Minimal Rail Route would only
require railroad easements along 12 percent of
its length.
The Minimal Rail Route acknowledges that the
rail corridor is active and may see new passenger
service in the future. Trains currently travel along
these tracks at a maximum speed of five miles
per hour; still, it is important to separate the
route from the rail with a barrier of some kind
(FHWA, 2002, p. 52). The Minimal Rail Route
would control the interface between the railroad
and trail users through signage and pedestrian
crossing treatments at rail intersections, and by
minimizing rail-trail crossings.
Advantages
The Minimal Rail Route would:
• Avoid railroad property except for 1,600
feet of trail at five pinch points where there
is no other feasible option
• Promote safe travel along the trail by
minimizing the danger of pedestrians
walking out onto the rail
• Respect railroad operations by exceeding
the minimum required separation distance
between the rail and trail
Limitations
The Minimal Rail Route would:
• Cross several private properties and a
considerable amount of UM property on
the south end of campus
• Rely on private property easements outside
of railroad property
• Require removal of a number of private
parking spaces within potential trail
easements
Figure 4-20. Path serving different types of
users in Madison, WI

38
4. TRAIL DESIGN
Connections Route
Goals
• Prioritize safety at crossings and along the
route
• Minimize distance and time of reaching
destinations
• Connect directly to destinations identified
by the community
• Support different users by splitting the
route into an east branch and a west
branch, designed specifically for bicyclists
and pedestrians
The Connections Route would emphasize continuity,
trail environment, and directness. Continuity minimizes
interruptions of the trail and abrupt turns. Trail
environment stresses the presence of greenery
along the trail and separates high-speed or
high-volume vehicular traffic from trail users.
Directness minimizes the distance traveled between
destinations, it would be provided by a split in the
route. Starting at First Street and William Street,
trail users heading north could choose to follow
an east branch of the trail that travels along
First Street. This branch would provide separate
spaces for bicyclists and pedestrians and would
be the most direct route for trail users wanting
to travel north or south. Alternatively, trail
users could follow a west branch that provides
a quieter and greener trail experience. The west
and east branches would rejoin at First Street and
Miller Street.
The Connections Route also would prioritize
safety by using active and well-lit streets, and by
improving crossings. The branches would present
trail users with choices, including the option to
travel in a loop on exercise and recreational trips.
Overall, the trail would offer bicyclists, runners,
dog-walkers, and other route users, including
those with limited mobility, with a safe and clear
route to a wide range of destinations.
Advantages
The Connections Route would:
• Create a comfortable, landscaped trail
environment, anchored by small parks
• Provide trail users with direct north-south
access to downtown
• Improve traffic safety along First Street
by separating car, bicycle, and pedestrian
traffic and by giving bicyclists and
pedestrians a dedicated green light at
intersections
• Allow for rain gardens between separated
lanes for cars, bicyclists, and pedestrians
• Connect to West Park, creating a link for
recreational users and connecting to West
Park’s stormwater infrastructure
Limitations
The Connections Route would:
• Require multiple property easements and
acquisitions to fully implement the route
Figure 4-21. Protected bicycle lanes, like this
one on Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia, can
provide separate spaces for bicyclists and
pedestrians

39
4. TRAIL DESIGN
• Cross five driveways, including two public
parking facility entry/exit points to public
parking facilities, along the east branch
• Require removal of 10 on-street parking
spaces and two loading zone spaces along
the east branch
• Require wayfinding signs to help trail users
navigate the west branch and east branch
• Lessen personal safety along the west
branch, which is comparatively isolated and
would see fewer trail users than a combined
trail
Stormwater Route
Goals
• Support healthy water flow and water
quality in Allen Creek
• Reduce risk of flood damage to Allen
Creek valley properties
• Build awareness of the presence of the
Allen Creek and its impacts on the Huron
River
• Engage nearby property owners to become
part of the greenway by building green
infrastructure
The Stormwater Route would accomplish its goals
by minimizing obstructions to water flow in
the floodway and by maximizing vegetation
cover with rain gardens. This would reduce the
unusually high peak water flows in the Allen
Creek valley and improve the quality of the
water entering the Huron River. The Stormwater
Route proposal does not recommend daylighting
the creek within the near future due to the high
level of urban development in and around the
floodway, poor water quality, and extreme peak
flows; however, this route does not preclude
future daylighting.
The Stormwater Route would build awareness of
Allen Creek’s impact on the Huron River by
serving as a continuous learning experience.
Trail markers, and historic and environmental
education installations would inform trail users
about the creek and stormwater management.
The route would also connect to existing
stormwater management efforts, such as those at
the YMCA, West Park, and the small park with
fish sculptures at First Street and Kingsley Street.
Advantages
The Stormwater Route would:
• Educate users about creek flow and water
quality through interactive exhibits and
signage
• Facilitate natural water flow and reduce
flooding impacts by removing structures
and obstructions in the path of floodwaters
Figure 4-22. Miller Avenue rain gardens

40
4. TRAIL DESIGN
• Offer trail users a mixture of natural,
urban, and neighborhood experiences
• Add green space to help absorb stormwater
wherever possible
• Highlight the community’s role in
stormwater management and Huron River
water quality issues
Limitations
The Stormwater Route would:
• Remove a large number of structures,
reducing feasibility of this route
• Increase trail maintenance costs for
the upkeep of educational features and
specialized vegetation that may be damaged
by game-day foot traffic
• Not connect to the point where Allen
Creek flows into Huron River, a key feature
of the Allen Creek valley
• Not completely address widespread
flooding issues in Allen Creek valley,
although structure removel would improve
the current conditions
ROUTE DESCRIPTION
In order to analyze and describe study routes
more simply, the Green the Way team divided
the study area into four segments. Starting
at the south end, we highlight opportunities,
challenges, common route characteristics, and
any outstanding differences between the study
routes.
This route segment begins on the west side of
S. State Street, at the Stimson Street intersection,
and continues to the north side of Hill Street
(Figure 4-24).
Opportunities
• Stormwater infrastructure here, in the
upstream segment of Allen Creek, could
reduce flooding risk in all other segments
• Contains widest section of railroad
property within the study limits, and an
abandoned turntable
• Area at the railroad and adjacent properties
is relatively flat with little grade change
• Current high volume of use on University
of Michigan football game days implies
that trail would be frequently used
Game-Day Pedestrian Traffic
As part of our research on possible trail use
we conducted a survey of football game day
pedestrian traffic. We selected a Saturday
afternoon game and counted people traveling
north or south along the railroad at Hoover
Street between 12:00pm and 4:00pm. In
total, we observed 1,076 people, including
one person in a wheelchair who had difficulty
crossing the rails on the sidewalk at Hoover
St., and one bicyclist riding alongside the
railroad tracks. Trash accumulated as people
passed through the area.
See Appendix G for hourly counts.
Figure 4-23. Football game day pedestrians
using the railroad

41
4. TRAIL DESIGN
Figure 4-24. Segment A: S. State Street to Hill Street
UM ATHLETIC
FACILITIES
N
HILL ST.
HOOVER ST.
MAINST.
STADIUM BLVD.
STATEST.
A
ASegment
ASegment
Minimal Rail Route
Legend
Allen Creek Drain
Floodway
Flood Plain
City Park
Railroad
2008 Essential
Route
Connections
Route
Stormwater Route
0 0.25 miles
• Presence of two primary landowners, the
University of Michigan and the railroad,
could streamline negotiations required for
trail construction
Challenges
• Lack of a clear location for a south gateway
• Narrow clearances around railroad property
near University of Michigan’s Elbel Field
• High traffic volumes on game day could
damage gardens and installations
• Difficult connection to E. Stadium
Boulevard due to large grade differences

42
4. TRAIL DESIGN
General Routing
All study routes would begin at S. State Street
and Stimson Street, on the west side of the
railroad property, and remain on the west side
until Hoover Street. In order to avoid the narrow
clearances on the west side of the track north
of Hoover St., the Minimal Rail, Connections and
Stormwater Routes would cross to the east side of
the railroad. From there they would continue
north on the east side of the tracks, using an
easement along the University of Michigan’s
Elbel Field. The 2008 Essential Route would
continue on the east side of the track.
The 2008 Essential, Connections and Stormwater
Routes would take advantage of the wide railroad
property between the E. Stadium Boulevard
bridge and Hoover Street for trail use. The
Minimal Rail Route would remain outside of
railroad property, with the exception of a small
area near the abandoned turntable.
Unique Features of Study Routes
2008 Essential Route would:
• Connect to the sidewalks and bicycle lanes
on E. Stadium Boulevard
• Use abandoned turntable as anchor point
for linear park
Minimal Rail Route would:
• Require easements at the UM Golf Course,
parking facility (removing 46 parking
spaces), and Elbel Field
• Require railroad easements near abandoned
turntable and to avoid encroaching into the
artificial turf field within Elbel Field
Connections Route would:
• Reconfigure Elbel Field in order to allow
the trail to remain out of railroad property
and maintain width and character of trail
Stormwater Route would:
• Uses wide area of railroad property
for a linear park with rain gardens and
This route segment begins on the north side of
Hill Street and continues to the north side of
Liberty Street, at 415 W. Washington (Figure
4-26).
Opportunities
• Adjacent to community-identified
destinations
• Area at the railroad and adjacent properties
is relatively flat with little grade change
• Includes City property at First Street and
W. William Street
• Connects to existing bicycle routes at Hill
Street, Madison Street, and Liberty Street,
as well as proposed bicycle lanes on Main
Street and William Street
Challenges
• Difficult trail, road, and railroad crossings
at Madison Street and S. Main Street, First
Street and William Street, and First Street
and Liberty Street
General Routing
From Hill Street the Minimal Rail, Connections and
Stormwater Routes would proceed north on the
east side of the railroad tracks until reaching
Madison Street. On the east side of the tracks,
the routes would require an easement through
the Fingerle Lumber site. At Madison Street
these three routes would cross to the west side
of the tracks, joining the 2008 Essential Route.
All routes would remain on the west side of
the tracks until reaching W. William Street,

43
4. TRAIL DESIGN
The Burke-Gilman Trail
The Burke-Gilman Trail was built in the 1970s along a portion of the Seattle, Lake Shore and
Eastern Railway corridor and was among the first rails-with-trails projects. In the years since,
the trail has expanded alongside the Northern
Pacific and Burlington Northern railroads. It
is approximately 18.8 miles long, starting at
Puget Sound, running through the University of
Washington campus, and around the north end
of Lake Washington to Bothell, WA. The Burke-
Gilman Trail typically serves 2,000-3,000 people
a day, especially students and faculty affiliated
with the University of Washington, who use the
trail to commute across campus and connect to
Downtown Seattle. The trail is managed by the
City of Seattle, King County, and UW.
Safety and Liability
The Burke-Gilman is next to operating railroads
with freight service running at speeds no more
than 10 mph. To alleviate the railroad’s liability
concerns the City purchased the rail property
adjacent to the trail. The trail itself is 10.0 to
12.0 feet wide, and is set back 10.0 to 25.0 feet from the rail centerline. Chain link fencing is
installed along the trail and is generally 3.5 feet high. According to both the City and railroad,
trespassing and trash dumping problems have decreased significantly since the trail was built.
The reduction in trespassing can be credited to trail activity and policing.
Seattle has been improving pedestrian and traffic signaling equipment as well as making
improvements at busy intersections. These improvements include retiming traffic signals and
constructing speed tables which slow cars, and give drivers a visual cue that they are entering
a walking and biking zone.
Lessons for an Allen Creek trail
The Burke-Gilman Trail demonstrates how to manage a trail along an operating railroad, and
connect residents with multiple destinations in a city. It is also an example of how county
and city agencies, railroad companies, and universities can work together to manage a trail.
The heavy use of the Burke-Gilman by UW students and faculty is an example for the UM
community, and should encourage UM to adopt UW’s trail management practices at the South
Athletic Campus.
SEATTLE, WA
Figure 4-25. Burke-Gilman Trail
near the University of Washginton

44
4. TRAIL DESIGN
where the 2008 Essential, Connections, and
Stormwater Routes cross the tracks to enter the
City property at First Street and W. William
Street.
All routes would cross Liberty Street and enter
the City property at 415 W. Washington at its
southeast corner.
All routes would leave the railroad at the
intersections of Madison Street and S. Main
Street, and Jefferson Street and Ashley Street
to make use of existing sidewalks and road
crossings. See “Trail Features – Specific Road
and Sidewalk Crossings” for information on
crossings at First and William, and First and
Liberty.
• Propose future acquisition of Fingerle
Lumber site for stormwater infrastructure
• Use First and William property for
downtown gateway
• Require easements at property adjacent
to 521 S. Ashley Street, removing of 23
parking spaces
• Use existing sidewalks between William
and Liberty on the west side of First Street,
entering railroad property near Liberty
Figure 4-26. Segment B: Hill Street to Liberty Street
UM CENTRAL
CAMPUS
GERMANTOWN
OLD WEST
SIDE
N
WASHINGTON ST.
LIBERTY ST.
WILLIAM ST.
JEFFERSON ST.
MADISON ST.
HILL ST.
MAINST.
FIRSTST.
BSegment
BSegmentMinimal Rail Route
Legend
Allen Creek Drain
Floodway
Flood Plain
City Park
Railroad
2008 Essential
Route
Connections
Route
Stormwater Route
0 0.25 miles

45
4. TRAIL DESIGN
• Cross Liberty on the west side of the
railroad
• Propose acquisition of properties at 507,
511, and 527 S. Ashley Street for trail and
downtown gateway, including the south end
of the First Street bikeway
downtown gateway with outdoor classroom
features, including interactive exhibits
that simulate the water cycle of the creek
and demonstrate current water quality
conditions in the creek.
Segment C: Liberty Street to Miller
Avenue
Liberty Street and continues to the north side of
Miller Avenue, crossing the 415 W. Washington
site, the YMCA property, and areas adjacent to
West Park (Figure 4-28).
Opportunities
• Includes City-owned property at 415 W.
Washington Street
• Includes existing stormwater infrastructure
at the YMCA and West Park
• Adjacent to West Park, a community
identified destination
Challenges
• Potential mid-block crossings at
Washington Street, Huron Street, and
Miller Avenue
• Railroad on elevated berm 14 feet above
ground level between Huron Street and
Miller Avenue
• Small parcel sizes mean that the City would
have to negotiate with multiple property
owners to complete even short distances of
trail
Figure 4-27. Segment C: Liberty Street to Miller Avenue
DOWNTOWN
KERRYTOWN/
OLD 4th WARD
River
N
HURON ST.
WASHINGTON ST.
LIBERTY ST.
MAINST.
MILLER AVE.
FIRSTST.
MAINST.
CSegment
CSegment
West
Park
Minimal Rail Route
Legend
Allen Creek Drain
Floodway
Flood Plain
City Park
Railroad
2008 Essential
Route
Connections
Route
Stormwater Route
0 0.25 miles

46
4. TRAIL DESIGN
Bicycle Paths and Flooding
Like many urban areas, Boulder, CO faces flooding challenges. In 2013 major 1,000-year floods
struck Colorado. The current floodway mapping, meant to assess risk from 100-year storms,
can no longer protect residents.
Faced with expanded flooding that poses a
substantial risk to people and property, Boulder
developed a comprehensive strategy to keep
residents safe. A key part of the strategy was
developing bicycle paths that run along existing
rivers to help channel water quickly and safely
out of the city. To prevent bridges from washing
out, the path bridges contain giant hinges that
swing out under the pressure of flood waters.
When flooding is expected, the City shuts gates
to exclude trail users and allows floodwaters to
overflow safely into the bicylcle paths. Following
a 1,000-year flood in 2013, City officials credited
the bicycle paths with reducing property damage
and protecting residents.
However, bicycle paths and adaptive
infrastructure alone are not sufficient to deal with the challenges caused by urban floods.
These strategies have to be complemented by efforts to reduce risks that keep residents and
structures out of potential flood areas. Boulder began by preventing expensive and potentially
hazardous industrial uses from locating in the floodplain. The City expanded this effort by
using taxpayer dollars to purchase land near urban rivers. It removed any structures from this
property and has currently been able to purchase almost 50,000 acres. All of these efforts
support the goal of city planner David Driskell, who stated “We just need to move the water
through our community as quickly as possible with as little damage as possible” (Next City,
2013).
Lessons for an Allen Creek Trail
New mapping systems, like Boulder’s focus on the 1,000-year floodplain and Ann Arbor’s
Stormwater Calibration Model, highlight growing risks to property and life. In light of these
growing risks future infrastructure investments should be multi-purpose, such as bicycle paths
that provide safe routes for bicyclists and help channel flood water safely out of the city.
However, to truly address urban flooding, taxpayers must be willing to purchase and remove
structures in flood prone areas.
BOULDER, CO
Figure 4-28. This bicycle path along
the Left Hand Creek in Boulder, CO
was credited with reducing flooding in
the surronding neighborhood

47
4. TRAIL DESIGN
Figure 4-29. A cycle track (two-way protected
bicycle lane) paired with a sidewalk along the
Indianapolis Cultural Trail
General Routing
All routes would enter 415 W. Washington at the
southwest corner and proceed north within the
floodway area of the property. All routes would
complete this segment of trail on the north side
of Miller Avenue, and on the east side of the
railroad. Between these endpoints, each route
would take a different path.
• Proceed adjacent to the west side of the
railroad; due to the railroad berm, this
could require easements and property
acquisitions between Washington Street and
Huron Street, and Huron Street and Miller
Avenue
• Propose future acquisition of a home on
the east side of Chapin Street to make a
connection to West Park
• Proceed on existing sidewalks on
Washington, Third Street, and Huron
Street, going around the Ann Arbor YMCA
and the rain garden at the corner of Third
and Huron Street
• Cross to east side of railroad at Huron
Street
• Proceed north between Huron Street and
Miller through a parking lot, requiring
removal of 40 parking spaces
Connections Route:
From Liberty to Miller the Connections Route
would split into two different branches; a
bicyclist-oriented east branch along First
Street, offering more direct access to
downtown destinations, and a pedestrian-
oriented west branch designed to engage
recreational users, Ann Arbor YMCA
patrons, and West Park visitors. Both
branches would welcome all trail users,
although we expect that trail users would
self-select to some degree.
East Branch would:
• Consist of a two-way cycle track on the
east side of First Street with an adjoining
sidewalk for pedestrian use.
• Be protected from motor vehicle traffic
by continuous raised planters. Sidewalks
would be at least 6.5 feet wide and would
have linear rain gardens separating them
from the cycle track. For more details,
see “Segment D: Miller Avenue to the
Border-to-Border Trail” in Chapter 5.
• Dedicate traffic signals for bicyclists
and pedestrians ensuring their safety by
prohibiting motor vehicles from turning
when trail users have a green light.
• Eliminate 10 on-street metered parking
spaces and two loading zone spaces along
First Street and reduce First Street to a
consistent two lanes wide, eliminating the
third lane at those intersections where it
exists

48
4. TRAIL DESIGN
West Branch would:
• Proceed on existing sidewalks on W.
Washington and Third Street traveling
past the Ann Arbor YMCA and the rain
garden at the corner of Third Street and
Huron Street
• Cross Huron Street at the existing
crosswalk and pedestrian-activated
stoplight, also known as a HAWK beacon
(High-Intensity Activated crossWalK)
• Continue on the west side of Chapin
Street, adjacent to West Park; proposes
widening the sidewalk and adding rain
gardens along Chapin Street, which
would be accomplished by turning
Chapin Street into a one-way street for
motor vehicles
• Follow the sidewalk on the south side of
Miller Avenue under the railroad bridge
and to the intersection with First Street
• Use 415 W. Washington Street for
landscaping and educational features
• Proceed adjacent to the west side of the
railroad; due to the railroad berm, this
could require easements and property
acquisitions between Washington Street and
Huron Street, and Huron Street and Miller
Avenue.
• Propose acquisition of two properties
between Huron Street and Miller Street
• Require and easement to make connection
to West Park
• Propose installation of extensive rain
gardens and stormwater infrastructure
between Huron Street and Miller Avenue
with educational signage over the
confluence of the West Park and Allen
Creek waterways
Segment D: Miller Avenue to 721 N.
Main Street
Miller Avenue, crosses to the east side of the
railroad, and continues to the 721 N. Main Street
site (Figure 4-31).
Opportunities
• Includes City-owned property at 721 N.
Main Street
• Includes existing stormwater infrastructure
at the small park at First Street and
Kingsley Street, the Fish Garden
• Adjacent to the Huron River, the most
important community identified destination
Challenges
• Handling grade differnces between railraod
berm and adjacent property
• Creating a clear connection to the Border-
to-Border trail
General Routing
All study routes would proceed north from Miller
Avenue adjacent to the railroad berm, requiring
easements and/or property acquisitions at 410
Miller, 310 Miller, and 227 Felch Street.
At Felch the Minimal Rail, Connections, and
Stormwater Routes would connect to the City
property at 721 N. Main Street through a City-
owned access drive located between 128 and 220
Felch Street.
The Minimal Rail, Connections, and Stormwater
Routes would connect to the Huron River and
Border-to-Border Trail using existing roads
and sidewalks through Wheeler Park and over
the Broadway Bridge. The 2008 Essential Route
envisions a N. Main Street overpass, adjacent to
the railroad bridge.

49
4. TRAIL DESIGN
The Trail
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail (ICT) is an 8-mile urban bicycle and pedestrian path in
downtown Indianapolis that opened in 2013 and serves as the downtown hub for central
Indiana’s greenway system. Private donations and a federal transportation grant funded the $63
million project, negating the need for local tax
money. The ICT circulates through downtown
Indianapolis, providing a safe, convenient, and
attractive connection to major cultural districts,
historic attractions, and entertainment venues.
Areas of the trail feature split pathways where
plantings separate bicyclists and pedestrians,
while other sections feature combined paths
where bicyclists and pedestrians coexist. Linear
rain gardens and infiltration beds manage
stormwater and provide a protective barrier
between the trail and the road. Art installations
along the trail include work by local artists,
highlight the character of the different cultural
districts, and celebrate historic figures who made peaceful contributions to humanity. The ICT
contains multiple loops and spurs that encourage exploring and connect to other trails and
greenways. The resulting network has increased recreation, tourism, and bicycle commuting.
Trail Management
Indianapolis Cultural Trail, Inc. (ICT, Inc.) is a local nonprofit that manages, maintains, and
promotes the trail. ICT, Inc. is largely responsible for hardscape and electrical maintenance,
landscaping, and snow removal. However, a city ordinance tasks adjacent property owners
with clearing snow from the sidewalks or pedestrian paths that are adjacent to their properties.
Additionally, ICT, Inc. utilizes volunteer help to clear the trail of litter and organizes a “Trail
Watcher” program that assigns a second set of eyes and ears to different sections of the trail
for maintenance issues. Donations to ICT, Inc. are tax deductible and yearly donations of $100
or more earn the contributor perks with participating businesses and attractions along the trail.
The Indianapolis Cultural Trail offers several lessons for an Allen Creek trail. First, potential
funding mechanisms exist that could minimize the use of local tax dollars to fund the trail.
Next, a well-designed trail would allow pedestrians and bicyclists to safely and productively use
a shared path. Lastly, creating a non-profit organization to manage and maintain the trail could
relieve the City of the added responsibility after it builds the trail.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Figure 4-30. Indianapolis
Cultural Trail, a bicycle and
pedestrian path with rain
gardens and local artwork

50
4. TRAIL DESIGN
KERRYTOWN/
OLD 4th WARD
WATER HILL
Huron
N
SUMMIT ST.
FELCH ST.
KINGSLEY ST.
BROADW
AY
MILLER AVE.
River
MAINST.
DSegment
West
Park
DSegment
B2B TRAIL
Minimal Rail Route
Legend
Allen Creek Drain
Floodway
Flood Plain
City Park
Railroad
2008 Essential
Route
Connections
Route
Stormwater Route
0 0.25 miles
Figure 4-31. Segment D: Miller Avenue to 721 N. Main Street
• Proceed adjacent to the east side of
the railroad berm, possibly requiring an
easement at 220 Felch in addition to those
listed above
• Connect through the propsed 721 N. Main
gateway park to a pocket park at N. Main
Street and Depot Street
• Proceed adjacent to the east side of the
railroad berm, requiring an easement at 220
Felch in addition to those listed above
• Join the West Branch and East Branch at
the intersection of First Street and Miller
Avenue
• Propose acquisition of 310 Miller Avenue
for trail connections and stormwater
management
• Phase acquisition of structures on Ashley
Street, between Kingsley Street and Felch
Street, for removal; these structures face
some of the highest risk in the floodway,
and would be integrated into the trail
using rain gardens and other stormwater
infrastructure. Removing these structures
could also improve upstream flooding;
these benefits could be calculated using the
City’s new stormwater calibration model.
SUMMARY
The four study routes described above reflect
an array of options for advancing the design of

51
4. TRAIL DESIGN
Stormwater features serve dual purpose in Portland
Bioswales in Portland, OR, are designed to help the environment and make streets safer. The
city’s bioswales capture runoff from roads, and produce narrower streets and wider sidewalks.
This shortens crossings, and encourages drivers to slow down. According to Catherine
Ciarlo, a former transportation advisor for the City, “If we’re doing traffic calming with curb
extensions, why not use the opportunity to treat stormwater?”(Mayer, 2010).
The City’s environmental services and transportation bureaus work together to identify
locations where bioswales serve stormwater and safety purposes. This process can be
challenging. Transportation planners in Portland want to add bicycle facilities farther from
the City Center, while stormwater planners want bioswales closer to downtown. After initially
proposing to spend $20 million on dual-purpose bioswales, the City scaled back the effort in
2013, committing to spend $11.4 million on 13 projects.
The bioswales are key elements in the City’s effort to retrofit select streets into “neighborhood
greenways.” These are low-traffic roads that support walking and bicycling while minimizing
stormwater runoff. In one example on N.E. Holman Street the City’s Bureau of Environmental
Services provided about three quarters of the $950,000 project budget to make a neighborhood
greenway with bioswales at key intersections.
While Ann Arbor’s “green streets” policy adds stormwater features to improve water quality,
Portland’s experience highlights how these features can also support the safety of bicyclists
and pedestrians.
PORTLAND, OR
Figure 4-32. A conventional street (left) was transformed into a bicycle and
pedestrian friendly route (right) with the help of stormwater features in
Portland, OR

52
4. TRAIL DESIGN
an Allen Creek trail. In order to synthesize the
unique features and challenges of each route
option, we created two summary tables. First, we
tabulated potential impacts based on property
ownership, as well as each route’s count of
street and railroad crossings (Table 1). With this
information and descriptions the Green the Way
team rated each route on how well it appeared to
meet evaluation criteria relating to Stormwater,
Commuting, Community Resources, Safety, and
Feasibility (Table 2). Together, these statistics
and ratings helped the team make decisions
about how to balance these routes and form our
recommended Green the Way Route, detailed in the
next chapter.
Table 4-1. Study route evaluation
Connections
Route
Stormwater
Route
MinimalRail
Route
2008Essential
Route
GreentheWay
Route
Stormwater & Flooding
Improves water flow in the Allen Creek Valley
Incorporates rain gardens and other stormwater
infrastructure
Fosters public awareness of Allen Creek and the
environmental challenges in urban watersheds
Commuting
Creates a protected trail environment for bicycles and
pedestrians
Creates a continuous travel experience by minimizing
crossings
Community Resources
Provides bicycling and walking connections to
residential neighborhoods
Highlights historic features of nearby neighborhoods
or natural environments
Safety
Minimizes secluded areas and provides trail users with
visibility of surroundings
Minimizes mid-block and non-perpendicular
pedestrian and bicycle crossings
Minimizes rail crossings
Feasibility
Minimizes structure removal
Minimizes property acquisition
Minimizes linear feet of easements on non-railroad
private property
Minimizes linear feet on railroad property
Medium
High
Key
Low

53
4. TRAIL DESIGN
Table 4-1. Study route statistics

Connections
Route
Stormwater
Route
MinimalRail
Route
2008Essential
Route
Description
Total length of trail
2.82 mi 2.82 mi 2.49 mi 2.71 mi

14,930 ft 12,060 ft 13,130 ft 14,320 ft
Length of trail (ft) within:

City property 1,620 1,640 1,270 1,400
Parks, parking lots, and va-
cant sites currently owned by
the City

Sidewalks and
streets
5,670 1,070 3,840 2,560
Existing public right-of-way,
including bridges

University
property
1,280 1280 3,180 120

Railroad
property
3,460 5,890 1,690 8,970

Other private
property
2,890 3,470 3,170 1,310
Includes property to be ac-
quired/redesigned
Crossings

Railroad
crossings
4 5 2 3

Street crossings 18 11 15 16
All street crossings, including
mid-block crossings

mid-block
crossings
1 6 6 7
Street crossings where cross
traffic currently does not stop
Changes proposed to existing property

Parcels which
would require
easements
9 9 24 0
Counts U-M property and
private, non-railroad property.
Multiple parcels belonging to
the same owner are counted
separately.

Parcels to
acquire/redesign
5 19 1 2
Consists entirely of private,
non-railroad parcels. Multiple
parcels belonging to the
same owner are counted
separately.

Structures
impacted
6 21 1 0

54
4. TRAIL DESIGN

55
5. RECOMMENDATIONS
As a culmination of the findings gathered from
community input and our evaluation of the
study routes, the Green the Way team developed
a recommended route, or the Green the Way Route.
We begin this chapter with a summary of the
Green the Way Route before describing its unique
features in greater detail. Phasing follows and
then Next Steps to implement the trail closes this
section.
GREEN THE WAY ROUTE
Goals
• Maximize connections to community-
identified destinations
• Combine the best aspects of the study
routes and community input
• Provide short-term and long-term
implementation options
Trail Description
Insights from Study Routes and New Ideas
We developed the Green the Way Route by
combining the best features of the four study
routes:
• 2008 Essential Route: big ideas like the
Turntable Park and the bridge over Huron
Street
• Minimal Rail Route: acquiring easements and
properties adjacent to the route to enhance
the trail experience
• Connections Route: connection to West
Park and separate options for cyclists and
pedestrians
• Stormwater Route: acquiring easements and
properties within the floodway, and route
features like extensive rain gardens and
environmental education opportunities
The Green the Way Route stands out in several ways
when compared to the study routes. It would
provide the longest trail, use the largest amount
of existing City property, and has the greatest
length of trail on existing streets and sidewalks.
The Green the Way Route’s impacts on railroad
private property and university property would
be relatively moderate compared to the other
routes; however, because the route would directly
address flood mitigation and stormwater through
property acquisition and structure removal, it
has larger implications for non-railroad private
property owners.
The Green the Way Route would also incorporate
common trail features identified in the previous
chapter, including gateway parks, trail design
elements, railroad considerations, road and

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
56
GreentheWay
DOWNTOWN
KERRYTOWN/
OLD4thWARD
WATERHILL
UMCENTRAL
CAMPUS
Huron
River
GERMANTOWN
OLDWEST
SIDE
FIRSTSTREET
BIKEWAY
LINKTO
WESTPARK
LINKTO
DTESITE
LINKTO
B2BTRAIL
ALLENCREEK
OUTDOORCLASSROOM
BRIDGEOVER
HURONSTREET
PARKAT721N.
MAINSTREET
FINGERLE
SOUTH
FINGERLE
NORTH
415WEST
WASHINGTON
227FELCH
SOUTH
721N.MAIN
NORTH
SUMMITST.
FELCHST.
KINGSLEYST.
CATHERINEST.
HURONST.
WASHINGTONST.
LIBERTYST.
WILLIAMST.
JEFFERSONST.
MADISONST.
EYST.
1stST.
MAINST.
BROADW
AY
MILLERAVE.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
57
Figure5-1.OverviewofproposedGreentheWayRoute
UMATHLETIC
FACILITIES
FUTURESOUTH
EXTENSION
LINKTO
BURNSPARK
TURNTABLE
PARK
GATEWAY
RAINGARDEN
GreenTheWaytrail
ParkSpaceand
RainGardens
SiteRedesign
Opportunity
Legend
AllenCreekDrain
Floodway
FloodPlain
CityPark
Railroad
N
00.250.5miles
HILLST.
HOOVERST.
MAINST.
ASH
STADIUMBLVD.
STATEST.
SegmentAA
SegmentAA
UMATHLETIC
FACILITIES
GERMANTOWN
OLDWEST
SIDE
FUTURESOUTH
EXTENSION
LINKTO
BURNSPARK
TURNTABLE
PARK
OUTDOORCLASSROOM
GATEWAY
RAINGARDEN
FINGERLE
SOUTH
NORTH
GreenTheWaytrail
ParkSpaceand
RainGardens
SiteRedesign
Opportunity
Legend
AllenCreekDrain
Floodway
FloodPlain
CityPark
Railroad
N
00.250.5miles
JEFFERSONST.
MADISONST.
HILLST.
HOOVERST.
MAINST.
ASHLEYST.
STADIUMBLVD.
STATEST.
1stST.
Segment SegmentAA
Segment SegmentAA

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
58
sidewalks crossings, and safety infrastructure.
For more information on these features, refer to
Chapter 4, “Trail Features.”
While the proposed Green the Way Route adopts
features from the study routes, it also contains
new features and routing decisions. Of special
note is the southern extension to E. Stadium
Boulevard. This link would increase the trail’s
visibility and provide a connection to the Burns
Park neighborhood. We also propose a new
cyclist and pedestrian bridge over Huron Street.
Community Input: Desires & Concerns
Community input gathered from our information
tables, online survey, and community meetings
have been incorporated into the Green the Way
Route’s proposed design. Community members
identified the Green the Way Route’s major linkages,
including: the Border-to-Border (B2B) trail,
West Park, and the DTE Site. To address safety
concerns, we’ve developed conceptual diagrams
that create potential solutions at challenging
intersections and crossings.
Community members expressed concerns about
water quality and flooding in the Allen Creek
valley. To address these concerns, the Green
the Way Route would include rain gardens and
educational displays to improve stormwater
management. The majority of the trail would also
be surrounded by linear park space minimizing
obstructions to water flow in the floodway.
Finally, the trail would be located primarily in
the floodway, which presents opportunities to
preserve open space and remove structures
where there is danger of flooding.
The Green the Way Route would begin south of
downtown at the intersection of State Street
and Stimson Street. Residents of the Burns Park
neighborhood would also be able to access the
Table 5-1. Green the Way Route statistics
Total length of trail
3.56 mi
18,840 ft
Length of trail (ft) within:

City prop-
erty
1,620
Parks, parking
lots, and vacant
sites currently
owned by the
City

Sidewalks
and streets
7,170
Existing public
right-of-way,
including bridges

University
property
850

Railroad
property
3,960

Other
private
property
4,420
Includes property
to be acquired/
redesigned
Crossings

Railroad
crossings
4

Street
crossings
22
All street
crossings,
including mid-
block crossings

mid-block
crossings
9
Street crossings
where cross traf-
fic currently does
not stop
Changes proposed to existing property

Parcels
which would
require
easements
7
UM property and
private, non-
railroad property;
multiple parcels
belonging to
the same owner
are counted
separately

Parcels to
acquire/
redesign
12
Private, non-
railroad parcels;
multiple parcels
belonging to
the same owner
are counted
separately

Structures
impacted
13

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
59
HILL
HOOVER
PACKARD
STATE
MAIN
STADIUM
1
2
3
6
4
5
Parcel #1
Easement #1
Stormwater Feature #1
Railroad Pinchpoint #2
Railroad Pinchpoint #1
Easement #2
Figure 5-2. Segment A: State Street to Hill Street
1. Parcel #1: The western tip of Rose White Park
would be conected to the greenway
2. Easement #1: A switchback trail from the
railroad right of way to the E. Stadium Boulevard
bridge
3. Stormwater Feature #1: Linear garden in
railroad property leading to Turntable Park, the
southern gateway park
4. Railroad Pinchpoint #1: Distance from west
rail to east trail edge is 9.7 feet along 180-foot
trail segment
5. Easement #2: Easement on two university
parcels that comprise Elbel Field
6. Railroad Pinchpoint #2: Distance from east
rail to west trail edge is 12 feet along 40-foot
trail segment

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
60
trail by a new ADA-compliant ramp constructed
along the University athletic parking lots (Call-
outs 1 and 2). This ramp would directly connect
the trail to E. Stadium Boulevard. The ramp’s
design would need to consider potential issues
with bicycle velocity and switchbacks. As an
alternative to E. Stadium Boulevard,. pedestrians
could travel along Rose Avenue and use the
existing stairs to reach Stadium.
Heading north, the trail would feature Turntable
Park (Figure 5-3) a linear park which would act
as the trail’s south gateway (Call-out 3). The
trail would weave through the linear park on
the west side of the railroad. The park would
include extensive rain gardens and stormwater
infrastructure, which could possibly receive
stormwater from the adjacent structures and
parking lots.
At its north end, Turntable Park would widen
to include the historic railroad turntable, and
include educational signage. As with the north
gateway at 721 N. Main Street, this south gateway
would include a trail map and educational signage
about the Allen Creek. Parking for trail users
driving from other parts of Ann Arbor could
be accommodated at the nearby University of
Michigan parking lot.
Heading north from Turntable Park the trail
would run through railroad property (Call-out
4). After crossing Hoover Street, the trail would
require an easement from University of Michigan
along the west side of Elbel Field up to Hill
Street, as the railroad property narrows (Call-
outs 5 and 6). Athletic event patrons could use
this part of the trail to reach Michigan Stadium
and Crisler Center.
From Hill Street to Liberty Street, the Green
the Way Route would follow the the Allen Creek
floodway. As a consequence of being in the
floodway we propose a number of property
acquisitions and structure removals to aid
stormwater efforts and an Allen Creek Outdoor
Classroom in the Downtown gateway at First
Street and William Street.
Moving north from Hill, the trail would require
an easement along the west side of the Fingerle
Figure 5-3. On wide railroad property through
UM’s athletic campus, we propose a Turntable
Park through this section of trail
0 50 100 ft.
N
LIBERTY
STREET
FIRST
STREET
Bikeway
GREENTHEWAY
Figure 5-4. Suggested configuration for
bikeway, roads, sidewalks, and trail at Liberty
Street and First Street

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
61
LIBERTY
WILLIAM
JEFFERSON
MADISON
HILL
MAIN
DIVISION
FIFTH
FOURTH
MAIN
ASHLEY
FIRST
9
14
10
13
11
7
8
Site Diagram A
Stormwater Feature #1
Easement #2
Easement #3
Parcel #3
Easement #1
Parcel #2
12Parcel #4
Figure 5-5. Segment B: Hill Street to Liberty Street
7. Easement #1: Easement across central
Fingerle Lumber parcel.
8. Parcel #2: Acquire east and west Fingerle
Lumber parcels and remove two structures.
9. Site Diagram A: Widen sidewalks on south
side of Madison and west side of Main and
reconfigure roadways.
10. Easement #2: Easement on parking lot at
544 S Main. Owner: 516-518 S. Main.
11. Parcel #3: Acquire three parcels (507,
511, and 521 South Ashley) and remove two
structures.
12. Parcel #4: Acquire 221 West William and
remove two structures. Owner: Fingerle Lumber.
13. Easement #3: Easement along backyards of
parcels (200 W Jefferson, 431, 435, 441 and S
First).
14. Stormwater Feature #1: 1st and William
parcel would be an outdoor classroom featuring
innovative educational displays of an active Allen
Creek.
Lumber property, with two structures needing to
be removed (Call-outs 7 and 8). If this property
is redeveloped, the route could be integrated into
future site redesign.
At Madison Street the route would cross to the
west side of the tracks, widening the existing
crosswalks to cross Main and Madison (Call-out
9). Continuing north through the intersection

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
62
of Jefferson Street and Ashley Street to William,
the trail would require property acquisitions and
easements immediately west of the railroad (Call-
outs 10-13). On part of these acquired properties,
the existing structures would be removed and
replaced with stormwater infrastructure.
Continuing north, the trail would first cross
William and then the railroad tracks to reach the
Downtown gateway featuring the Allen Creek
Outdoor Classroom. The Classroom would
feature elements intended to educate the public
on Allen Creek (Call-out 14). For information on
crossings at Madison and Main, First and William,
and First and Liberty, see Chapter 4, “Trail
Features – Specific Road and Sidewalk Crossings.”
Leaving the Classroom, the route would split
into a West Branch and an East Branch (Call-
out 15). The East Branch would continue north
as a bikeway along First, while the West Branch
would cross First and Liberty to reach the City-
owned 415 W. Washington Street property (see
Figure 5-5).
Segment C: Liberty Street to Miller
Avenue
The East and West Branches of the Green the
Way Route would remain separate through this
segment. The East Branch would continue along
First Street, providing a direct route for bicyclists,
while the West Branch would remain close to the
railroad, providing a pleasant trail environment
for pedestrians.
East Branch
The East Branch of the route would be a
two-way bikeway along the east side of First
through Catherine Street. The bikeway would be
configured as a cycle track, a physically separated
space between pedestrians and motor vehicles
to create a more comfortable and safe bicycling
environment.
As a result, pedestrians could use the expanded
sidewalks and bicyclists could travel in both
directions alongside First Street, which would
remain one way running south for vehicles.
To protect bicyclists and pedestrians crossing
Liberty, Washington, Huron, and Miller, we
propose adding dedicated bicycle stoplights at
intersections. These would be green when cars
had a red left arrow, preventing all turns across
the bikeway and crosswalk. Dedicated bicycle
signals have worked well on a cycle track on
Dearborn Street in Chicago, a similar but busier
one-way street (Figure 5-7).
West Branch
The West Branch of the route would continue
north in the Allen Creek floodway to the 415 W.
Washington Street property (Call-out 16). This
City-owned site has been identified by the City
for potential redevelopment. Heading north
from 415 W. Washington, the branch would cross
Washington mid-block. On the north side of
Washington the ramping for a new pedestrian and
bicycling bridge over Huron Street would begin.
This bridge would require an easement from the
YMCA (included in the YMCA’s development
agreement) and the acquisition of 401 W. Huron
Street with removal of its structure (Call-out 17
Figure 5-6. A dedicated bicycle stoplight gives
cars a red arrow when bicyclists and pedestrians
are crossing on the Dearborn Street cycle track
in Chicago

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
63
and 18). The bridge would provide a safe way to
cross Huron Street, highlight the trail, and create
an entry gate for downtown Ann Arbor.
The West Branch would descend from the bridge
on the north side of the Huron Street, requiring
property acquisition and structure removal to
travel through the next block to Miller Avenue
(Call-outs 21 and 22). A property along Chapin
Street would be acquired to create a direct
connection to West Park from the trail (Call-out
20). The confluence of the Allen Creek branch
running through West Park and Allen Creek
occurs within this city block, and signage would
draw the attention of trail users.
Segment D: Miller Avenue to the Huron
River
The East and West Branches of the route would
rejoin in this segment of trail and connect the
City-owned property at 721 N. Main Street to the
Border-to-Border (B2B) Trail.
KINGSLEY
HURON
CHAPIN
MILLER
LIBERTY
WASHINGTON
DIVISION
FIFTH
FOURTH
MAIN
ASHLEY
FIRST
19
23
15
17
16
20
22
21
24
18
Intersection #1
Intersection #1
Site Diagram B
Easement #1
Parcel #1
Parcel #3
Parcel #5
Parcel #4
Parcel #1
Parcel #2
Figure 5-7. Segment C: Liberty Street to Miller Avenue
15. Site Diagram B: Intersection reconfiguration
to accommodate trail crossings and First St.
bikeway.
16. Parcel #1: 415 W. Washington redesign
opportunity.
17. Easement #1: Easement along east edge of
YMCA property.
18. Parcel #2: Acquire 401 W Huron and remove
one structure.
19. Intersection #1: Bridge over Huron St.
provides safe crossing, highlights the greenway,
and creates a prominent gateway to downtown.
20. Parcel #3: Acquire 208 Chapin St. and
remove one structure to provide connection to
West Park.
21. Easement #3: Acquire eastern portion of 390
W. Huron St. and remove two structures.
22. Parcel #5: Acquire eastern portion of 218
Chapin St and remove one structure fronting
Miller Ave.
23. Intersection #1: Use intersection at Spring St
and Miller Ave to create visible crossing.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
64
East Branch
Heading north from Miller Street, the bikeway
would continue along the east side of First Street
to the intersection with Kingsley Street. After
passing by the Fish Garden, the branch would
cross Kingsley and head west to reconnect with
the West Branch (Call-out 25). Between Liberty
and Kingsley, the bikeway would cross 11 total
driveways and require the removal of 19 parking
spaces (Table 5-2). For more detail on how we
propose modifying First Street in order to create
a bikeway, enhance sidewalks, and add linear rain
gardens, please refer to Appendix H.
West Branch
The West Branch would cross Miller, travel east
under the railroad bridge, and continue north
through an acquired property that is immediately
east of the railroad (Call-outs 23 and 24); this
may require upgrades to sidewalks and installing
a crosswalk at Spring Street. Just past Kingsley,
the branch would be reunited with the East
Branch and continue as a single trail.
Continuing north, the reunited trail would require
property acquisitions to reach Felch Street
(Call-out 26). These acquisitions would create
opportunities for redevelopment near the First
Figure 5-8. Segment D: Miller Avenue Street to the Huron River
FELCH
KINGSLEY
MILLER
SUMMIT
BROADWAY
23
25
28
26
24
Intersection #1
Intersection #2
B2B Connection
Parcel #3
Parcel #1
27Gateway
23. Intersection #1: Use intersection at Spring St
and Miller Ave to create visible crossing
24. Parcel #1: Acquire 410 Miller Ave and
remove one structure.
25. Intersection #2: Connection of East Branch
and West Branch
26. Parcel #3: Acquire property to connect to
Felch Street
27. North Gateway: 721 N. Main Street
28. North Extension: Connection to Hurn River
and B2B

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
65
and Kingsley intersection and provide additional
rain gardens. Lighting and visibility would require
special consideration in this segment of trail. At
Felch, the trail would turn east and cross Felch
to reach the 721 N. Main Street site, another
potential redevelopment site. 721 N. Main Street
would also serve as the north gateway for the
trail. This site would include bicycle racks, a trail
map, and educational signage about Allen Creek
(Call-out 27).
From the northeast corner of the 721 N. Main
Street site, the route would follow Summit Street
through Wheeler Park to the Broadway Bridge,
where it would cross over the Huron River to
connect to the DTE Site and the B2B Trail (Call-
out 28). This connection would represent the
best short-term solution for connecting to the
B2B. For a more detailed discussion of future
options to connect the two trails, please see North
Extension and Connection to the Huron River, later in
the chapter..
PHASING
Phasing the implementation of the Green the Way
Route would allow for the gradual construction
of the trail. In the short term, phasing would
give Ann Arbor residents a wanted amenity and
increase connections inside the City. As residents
begin using completed parts of the trail, the
momentum to finish the greenway and connect
it to other destinations will grow.
The following phases are arranged based on
the complexity of construction, popularity of
individual trail segments, and avoidance of gaps
between completed trail segments. Complexity
in later phases relates to negotiations with the
University, Railroad, and other private property
owners. These negotiations could begin during
the construction of early trail segments to speed
the development of a full, continuous trail.
Inclusion in the Master Plan
Before construction could begin, the City
would need to first adopt the recommendations
from this report, along with other documents
identified in Chapter 2, into a master plan
focused on trail and stormwater goals. That plan
would be adopted into the City’s Master Plan, for
example within the Parks and Recreation Open
Space plan or Sustainability Framework. These
steps would clearly show the importance of the
trail in City policy, better position trail-related
projects for grant funding, and demonstrate
the City’s commitment so that other property
owners such as the University of Michigan could
plan accordingly.
Phase 1: Use City properties and streets
In this phase, trail construction in Segment C
and Segment D would depend on coordination
with City units, including Parks and Recreation
and Systems Planning, as well as the Downtown
Development Authority (DDA), but would not
require property negotiations with other entities.
First,werecommenddevelopingthetrailthrough
the 721 N. Main Street site and to the Border-to-
Border trail. Second, we recommend creating
the Bikeway on First Street and the Downtown
gateway with the Outdoor Classroom at the
Table 5-2. Parking spaces removed and
driveways crossed by the East Branch of the
proposed Green the Way Route
Type of parking space
half-price meter 13
full-price meter 4
loading zone 2
Total parking spaces removed 19
Type of driveway
residential 5
private parking lot 4
public parking lot 2
Total driveways crossed 11

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
66
Huron
River
1stST.
BIKEWAY
LINKTO
DTESITE
LINKTO
B2BTRAIL
ALLENCREEK
OUTDOORCLASSROOM
PARKAT721
N.MAINST.
415WEST
WASHINGTON
721N.MAIN
NORTH
SUMMITST.
FELCHST.
KINGSLEYST.
CATHERINEST.
HURONST.
WASHINGTONST.
LIBERTYST.
WILLIAMST.
JEFFERSONST.
MADISONST.
YST.
1stST.
MAINST.
BROADW
AY
MILLERAVE.

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
67
OUTDOORCLASSROOM
ParkSpaceand
RainGardens
SiteRedesign
Opportunity
Legend
AllenCreekDrain
Floodway
FloodPlain
CityPark
Railroad
N
00.250.5miles
PhaseI
Phase2
Phase3
JEFFERSONST.
MADISONST.
HILLST.
HOOVERST.
MAINST.
ASHLEYST.
STADIUMBLVD.
STATEST.
1stST.
Segmen SegmentAA
Segmen SegmentAA
Figure5-9.PhasingforproposedGreentheWayRoute

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
68
Burlington’s Island Line trail
Burlington, VT has a well developed recreational trail network. The centerpiece of the
network is the Island Line Trail, which follows an abandoned rail bed along Lake Champlain.
The Island Line connects to a 10-mile “Cycle in the City” loop connecting Burlington parks,
historic districts and shopping streets. The system has paved and gravel paths, bicycle lanes on
city streets, dedicated bridges and even a bicycle ferry.
From 1971 to 1988 the trail was constructed in
sections as property issues were settled. This
allowed Burlington residents to use parts of the
trail as soon as possible, making it part of the
culture of the City. The trail started in 1971
when a group of volunteers cleared the first
three miles of the abandoned Island Line rail
bed. Ownership of the railroad propoerty was
unclear, so in 1981 the City began to clear titles
and acquire the parcels needed for the 7-mile
trail section within city limits. Construction
started in 1985 and was largely complete within
a year, however some properties were contested
and unconnected until 1988 (Smith, p.6).
The next extension of the trail was also an example of incremental expansion. Local Motion,
a non-profit organization working to expand “people-powered transportation” in Burlington,
started a bicycle ferry service across the Winooski River in 1997. Originally operated by
volunteers, the City assumed service in 2000 and eventually a new bridge opened in 2004. Local
Motion now runs a ferry at the next gap in the Colchester Causeway across Lake Champlain.
The Island Line trail shows that extensive trail networks are built over time. Further, it
demonstrates how a small start and incremental
expansion can build public use, creating
support for larger investments. The Burlington
experience was summed up by a Kerrytown
Market visitor from Vermont who offered this
advice, “The best thing is just get started. We
began clearing trees in the 70’s, ran a ferry, and
just a few years ago opened a new bridge. We
did it in parts and people just started using it.”
BURLINGTON, VT
Figure 5-10.Local Motion’s bicycle
ferry
Ficure 5-11. Winooski River Bridge

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
69
First and William site. A temporary connection
between the Bikeway and the 721 N. Main Street
site along existing sidewalks could be indicated
through new signs and pavement markings.
Third, we recommend developing the trail and
stormwater features in the 415 W. Washington
site, connecting the Outdoor Classroom to the
YMCA.
When complete, this phase would result in
improved flood control by removing structures
at the base of the floodway, better access to
recreational destinations, especially the B2B
trail, and improved traffic safety for bicyclists
and pedestrians traveling downtown.
Phase 2: Complete a continuous route
In this phase, the City would negotiate easements
across non-City properties in Segments A, B, and
D, including railroad properties, and acquiring
others as needed (see Figures 5-2, 5-4, 5-6).
Some structures would be removed. Plans for
this phase would need to be coordinated with
The Connector transit study.
ForthisphasewerecommendstartinginSegment
A, where the trail crosses larger properties,
including the longest proposed railroad easement,
and where there are fewer property-owners with
which to negotiate. However, exact sequencing
will depend on property-owners’ situations and
the progress of negotiations. Temporary signs
and pavement markings along Madison Street to
First Street and/or Ashley Street can avoid a gap
in Segment B during trail construction.
When complete, this phase would result in a
continuous trail from the Stadium area to
the Huron River, a direct connection to many
neighborhoods and downtown, and improved
flood control and water quality through
structure removal and rain gardens.
Phase 3: Connect the Huron Street
Bridge
In this phase, the City would negotiate an
easement, acquire properties, and demolish
structures in Segment C in order to construct
the West Branch of the trail and its connection
to West Park. Building the bridge over Huron
Street, which is a designated as a state highway,
would involve negotiations with the Michigan
Department of Transportation .
Completing this last phase of the Green the Way
Route would result in a high-quality continuous
path with more options and connections for
all trail users, including a safe, barrier-free way
to cross Huron. Structure removal would also
result in a continuous path for floodwater to
leave the Allen Creek valley, further improving
flood control.
KINGSLEY ST
FIRSTST
G
reen the
FISH
SCU
LPTU
RES
N
0 125 250 ft
Bikeway
Way Trail
221 Felch St
Tentative Site Plan
Figure 5-12. Suggested configuration for
bikeway, roads, sidewalks, and trail at Kingsley
Street and First Street

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
70
CONTINUED COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
As stated in our community engagement chapter,
we believe that the Green the Way Route will not
be built unless the Ann Arbor community
supports it. To earn that support, we have begun
a conversation with the community through
public outreach, surveys, and community group
meetings. We have outlined a couple ways for the
City of Ann Arbor to continue that conversation.
The first step is to share the Green the Way Route
with neighborhood and advocacy groups. The
Green the Way Route incorporated feedback from
the groups with which we were able to meet in
the fall of 2014, so sharing our recommendations
with them lets them tell us what we got right and
what still needs to be changed. Additionally, a
special effort should be made to engage groups
that weren’t able to meet with the Green the Way
team to make sure their feedback is reflected in
future decisions.
The second step is to hold targeted meetings on
specific issues of concern and design decisions
related to the trail development. While some
residents may support the Allen Creek trail
as a broad concept, they may have differing
opinions on certain key features. For example,
implementing the bikeway along First Street and
Kingsley Street would include speaking with
residents and business owners near the path in
order to incorporate their feedback into the final
design (Figure 5-12).
Finally, the City of Ann Arbor should hold
public meetings on the Green the Way trail
recommendations to gather feedback from the
general community. Residents who provided
e-mail addresses through the public outreach and
survey should be invited to attend, in addition to
announcements in local newspapers and public
gathering places. These public hearings will allow
the City to inform residents of the Green the
Way recommendations that have been selected
and prioritized for implementation. These
meetings are especially important for engaging
residents who are interested in using the trail, but
don’t live in one of the nearby neighborhoods.
As the City of Ann Arbor continues this
conversation it is important to communicate
that these recommendations are a step toward a
Master Plan and actionable Allen Creek trail. The
Figure 5-13. Posters at local businesses can
inform residents of public meetings on an Allen
Creek trail

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
71
support for the trail we have witnessed should
grow as the community sees the City taking steps
to make the plans a reality.
NORTH EXTENSION AND
CONNECTIONS TO THE HURON RIVER
There are challenges to connecting an Allen
Creek trail to the Border-to-Border (B2B) trail
and destinations at the Huron River. The Huron
River itself blocks access to the B2B, and the
east-west (MDOT) railroad tracks must also be
crossed. Additionally, the DTE site on the south
river bank has long made that area inaccessible.
However, DTE has completed soil remediation
and solicited site plan proposals. As this bank
opens up for development the City should
require clear public access to the river. As part
of the 2013 Michigan Natural Resources Trust
Fund grant application Ann Arbor prepared a
map showing possible future connections (see
Appendix I.) Currently, there are only two places
to cross the Huron River in the vicinity of an
Allen Creek Trail: Argo Dam and the Broadway
Bridge.
Immediate Connection
In the short-term, we recommend using the
Broadway Bridge to cross the Huron River
and the MDOT railroad tracks. The primary
advantage of this solution is that it uses existing
infrastructure to connect to the B2B trail, making
it a feasible short-term option. Additionally, this
solution incorporates Wheeler Park into an Allen
Creek trail (for additional details see “Phasing”
earlier in the chapter). One potential challenge
is the complex intersection where Summit,
Broadway, Beakes, Detroit, and Division Streets
all come together. This intersection would require
some upgrading for clear trail access.
Stormwater and Trail Connections to the Huron River
Looking into the near future, the City plans to
begin construction of a tunnel under the east-
west MDOT railroad berm along Depot Street
that will be useable by pedestrians. This presents
another opportunity to connect an Allen Creek
trail to the B2B Trail, as this tunnel would be
easy to reach from 721 N. Main Street site. The
berm tunnel would connect to the DTE site. Part
of the DTE site is intended for open space as
part of a larger project in the next few years, and
could add to the trail’s recreational destinations.
The tunnel, which is primarily intended to
enhance water flow to the Huron River during
flood events, would also increase awareness of
stormwater in the Allen Creek valley.
Crossing Over N. Main
A potential long-term solution to connect an
Allen Creek trail to the B2B trail is a walking
and bicycling bridge over N. Main Street north
of Depot. The City considered this idea in
its N. Main-Huron River Task Force Report,
Figure 5-14. Overhead view of the City-owned
721 N. Main Street site; there are a number of
potential options to connect this site to the
Border-to-Border trail

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
72
and the Conservancy has supported the idea.
While such a bridge poses feasibility challenges,
including cost and limited space, it could become
a recognizable symbol for the trail and create a
striking entry into Ann Arbor from the north.
SOUTH EXTENSION TO PITTSFIELD
TOWNSHIP
Although the southern boundary of our study
area is S. State Street and E. Stadium Boulevard,
we recognize opportunities for the trail to extend
farther south. The S. State Street area has a mix of
commercial, industrial, residential, and retail land
uses. A southern extension could connect Ann
Arbor residents to jobs and leisure opportunities,
while also connecting Pittsfield Township to the
Border-to-Border Trail.
Support in Existing Plans
The concept of a southern non-motorized
trail is already part of planning efforts. Most
recently, the S. State Street Corridor Plan makes
a recommendation to create a non-motorized
trail that links an Allen Creek trail to Pittsfield
Township. More specifically, it recommends using
a city-owned parcel that is 66 ft wide to create an
east-west connection from S. State Street to S.
Industrial Highway. These recommendations are
further supported by the City’s Non-motorized
Transportation Plan, which recommends bicycle
facility improvements along S. State Street, and
the Master Plan Land Use Plan, which suggests
increasing parkland to accommodate further
residential development.
Opportunities for Trail
The railroad south of S. State Street and E.
Stadium Boulevard has a variety of characteristics
that give it potential for extending the Allen
Creek trail. The railroad property is consistently
100 feet wide across relatively flat land, which
offers some potential for trail development.
Additionally, the adjacent land uses are primarily
commercial and industrial and have large lot
sizes with spacious landscaping and underused
parking lots. While the railroad property may be
wide enough to accommodate a trail, it may be
aesthetically beneficial to create more separation
between it and the industrial nature of the
railroad by securing easements from nearby
landowners. Nonetheless, between the right-of-
way and adjacent land uses there exists space for
a 14-foot wide trail that conforms to AASHTO
standards.
Residential Trail Users
The nearby residential neighborhoods could
provide users for the trail. The residential areas
directly east of S. Industrial Highway are zoned as
R1B, R1C, and R1D and are fairly compact single
units. On November 7th, members of our team
observed people using several informal paths to
cross the railroad in the area between Stimson
Street and E. Ellsworth Road, suggesting that
there is demand for pedestrian facilities in the
area.
Figure 5-15. Looking south at Eisenhower
Parkway East in Ann Arbor

5. RECOMMENDATIONS
73
In our community engagement efforts, we witnessed a lot of excitement in the Ann Arbor
community for an Allen Creek trail. We close our report with an imagined future for the trail,
that is meant to capture that excitement:
It is 2024, and the Allen Creek Trail is
an amenity that Ann Arbor residents are
proud to have invested in. The Trail and
its parks buzz with activity most hours
of the day. Bicyclists and walkers on the
Border-to-Border Trail use the Trail to reach
destinations in downtown Ann Arbor. It
providesacomfortableplaceforseniorwalking
groups to walk and talk, and for children
learning to bicycle to test out their new wheels.
Downtown residents appreciate having parks
within walking distance of their homes. On
football Saturdays, thousands of fans use
the Trail to walk between the stadium and
downtown.
The Trail has positively affected stormwater issues in the Allen Creek valley. Rain gardens have improved
water flow during flooding events. Educational materials along the trail have created an awareness of flooding
issues in the valley, prompting residents to install rain gardens and barrels at their own homes. Children enjoy
interacting with the exhibits in the Allen Creek Outdoor Classroom.
The Allen Creek Trail has become an important part of Ann Arbor’s identity, enjoyed by residents and
visitors alike. Many cannot imagine Ann Arbor without it.
ENVISIONING AN ALLEN CREEK TRAIL IN 2024
Figure 5-16. Indianapolis Cultural Trail

74

75
WORKS CITED
WORKS CITED
Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority.
(2014). Connecting our Communities: Summary
Report for Evaluation of Downtown Ann Arbor
North-South Commuter Rail (WALLY) Station
Sites. Retrieved from http://www.theride.
org/Portals/0/Documents/5AboutUs/
WALLY/2.4.10%20NS_CommuterRail_
AA%20Report%202014_0701%20low%20
res.pdf
City of Ann Arbor. (1981). Plan for Park,
Recreation and Open Space. Ann Arbor, MI.
City of Ann Arbor. (1988). Ann Arbor Downtown
Plan. Ann Arbor, MI.
City of Ann Arbor. (2013). Michigan Natural
Resources Trust Fund 2013 Grant Application for
721 North Main Street Improvements.
City of Ann Arbor. (2013, November 18). Non-
motorized Transportation Plan Update. Retrieved
from http://www.a2gov.org/departments/
planning-development/planning/Pages/City-
Master-Plan.aspx
City of Ann Arbor, Allen Creek Greenway
Task Force. (2007). The Allen Creek Greenway
- Findings and Recommendations. Retrieved from:
http://www.a2gov.org/greenway/Pages/
AllenCreekGreenwayHome.aspx
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
(2002, August). Rails-with-Trails: Lessons
Learned. Retrieved from http://www.fhwa.
dot.gov/environment/recreational_trails/
publications/rwt/index.cfm
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
(2009). Manual on Uniform Traffic Control
Devices. Part 8: Traffic Control for Railroad
and Light Rail Transit Grade Crossings.
Retrieved from http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
pdfs/2009r1r2/pdf_index.htm
Mayer, James. (2010, March 6). “Mayor Adams
Finds $20 Million for Bike Boulevards.”
Oregonian. Retrieved from http://www.
oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/
Michigan Department of Transportation
(MDOT). (n.d.). Required Clearances Near
Railroad Tracks. Retrieved from http://
www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-
11056_22444_56495---,00.html
Sanderson, P., Sebastian, J., & Shaw, A. (2012).
Visioning the Allen Creek Greenway: Designing a
Path, Creating a Place. Retrieved from http://
natureforcities.snre.umich.edu/about/
student-masters-projects/

76
WORKS CITED
Smith, Melissa (unknown). “The Beginnings
of the Burlington Bike Path and the Cycle
the City Route, 1971-1999.” Retrieved from
http://www.localmotion.org/images/
BurlingtonBikePathReportFINALbyMeliss
aSmith.pdf
Washtenaw County Water Resources
Commissioner. (August 6, 2014). Rules and
Guidelines: Procedures and Design Criteria for
Stormwater Management Systems.
CASE STUDY RESOURCES
Seattle, WA
www.traillink.com/trail/burke-gilman-trail.aspx
www.americantrails.org/resources/railtrails/
RWTcasestudies.html
www.seattlebikeblog.com/2014/11/12/raised-
crosswalk-bike-leaning-rail-better-signal-
timing-coming-to-burke-gilman-near-u-
village/
Boulder, CO
nextcity.org/features/view/you-cant-stop-
urban-flooding
303cycling.com/Boulder-flooded-bike-paths-
helped-move-waters
www.bikede.org/2013/09/25/boulder-biking-
slowed-by-floods/
www.nytimes.com/2014/09/07/travel/to-ride-
again-another-day-in-colorado.html
www.dailycamera.com/colorado-flood-2013-
one-year-later/ci_26388288/historic-storm-
recalled-its-lessons-learned - Photo 2
Indianapolis, IN
indyculturaltrail.org/
Portland, OR
Schmidt, Brad. (2013, November 5). “City
Scales Back Utility Money for Bike
Boulevards: Portland City Hall Roundup.”
Oregonian Retrieved from http://
www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.
ssf/2013/11/city_scales_back_utility_money.
html
Schmidt, Brad. (2014, April 24). “Portland
Utility Lawsuit: City Wants to Appeal Judge’s
Decision over Authority, Misspent Money.”
Oregonian. Retrieed from http://www.
oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/
Burlington, VT
www.enjoyburlington.com/Parks/BikePath1.
cfm
www.localmotion.org/

77
APPENDIX
APPENDICES
78 Appendix A: List of Docs
Reviewed
85 Appendix B: Survey Questions
90 Appendix C: Survey Results
91 Appendix D: Open Ended
Suggestions
97 Appendix E: Open Ended Trail
Features
101 Appendix F: Open Ended Trail
Connections
104 Appendix G: Pedestrian Counts
105 Appendix H: Cycle Track
Configurations
111 Appendix I: 721 N. Main
Potential B2B Connection

78
APPENDIX A
TitleYearOrganiza?onURL
Allen's
Creek
Watershed
Management
Plan2001Allen's
Creek
Watershed
Group

h;p://www.hrwc.org/publicaCons/watershed-‐
management-‐plans/
Rails-‐with-‐Trails:
Lessons
Learned2002US
Department
of
TransportaCon
h;p://www.Lwa.dot.gov/environment/recre
aConal_trails/publicaCons/rwt/page00.cfm
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Natural
Features
Master
Plan2004City
of
Ann
Arbor
h;p://www.a2gov.org/departments/planning-‐
development/planning/Pages/City-‐Master-‐
Plan.aspx
Allen
Creek
Greenway
Preliminary
Feasibility

Study
2005
Stephen
M.
Ross
School
of
Business

at
the
University
of
Michigan

(Student
Report)
h;p://www.bus.umich.edu/MAP/AllenCreek/
AllenCreek_FinalReport_v4.pdf
Recommended
Vision
&
Policy
Framework
for

Downtown
Ann
Arbor:
Downtown
Development

Strategies
Project
2006
Prepared
by
Calthorpe
Associates

and
Strategic
Economics
for
City
of

Ann
Arbor
development/planning/Documents/MasterPl
ans/DevelopmentStrategiesReport_02-‐17-‐
06.pdf
The
Allen
Creek
Greenway
-‐
Findings
and

RecommendaCons
2007
Allen
Creek
Greenway
Task
Force,

City
of
Ann
Arbor

h;p://www.a2gov.org/greenway/Pages/Allen
CreekGreenwayHome.aspx
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Flood
MiCgaCon
Plan2007City
of
Ann
Arbor
h;p://www.a2gov.org/departments/systems-‐
planning/Sustainability/sustainability/Pages/F
loodMiCgaCon.aspx
Proposed
Route
of
the
Allen
Creek
Greenway:

EssenCal
Route
and
Future
OpportuniCes
2008Allen
Creek
Greenway
ConservancyN/A
Request
for
Proposal
for
the
AcquisiCon
and

Redevelopment/Reuse
of
City-‐Owned
Property

415
West
Washington
Street
2008City
of
Ann
Arbor
h;p://www.mitn.info/Bids/A;achments.asp?
TN=110746&amp;GroupID=1077
Frequently
Asked
QuesCons
415
W.
Washington

Request
for
Proposals
2008City
of
Ann
Arbor
h;p://www.mitn.info/Bids/A;achments.asp?
TN=110746&amp;GroupID=1077
Proposal
in
response
to
415
W.
Washington
RFP2008Ann
Arbor
Art
CenterN/A

79
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX
A
-‐
LIST
OF
REVIEWED
DOCUMENTS
Proposal
in
response
to
415
W.
Washington
RFP2008Morningside
EquiCes
GroupN/A
Proposal
in
response
to
415
W.
Washington
RFP2008
Old
Westside
Square
Development

Group
N/A
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Downtown
Plan2009City
of
Ann
Arbor
Plan.aspx
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Master
Plan:
Land
Use

Element
2009City
of
Ann
Arbor
Plan.aspx
City
of
Ann
Arbor
TransportaCon
Master
Plan

Update
2009City
of
Ann
Arbor
Plan.aspx
Planning
Along
the
Huron:
Huron
River
and

Impoundment
Management
Plan
2009City
of
Ann
Arbor
planning/Sustainability/sustainability/Pages/
HRIMP.aspx
Washtenaw
County
Brownﬁeld

Redevevlopment
Program
Guide
2009Washtenaw
County
h;p://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/de
partments/community-‐and-‐economic-‐
development/housing-‐and-‐community-‐
infrastructure/wcbra/wcbra_administraCve_d
ocuments/wcbra_program_guide_sep_09
City
Council
ResoluCon
R-‐10-‐28
calling
for
the

CreaCon
of
an
InnovaCve
Process
of
Community

CollaboraCon
to
Explore
a
Greenway
Park
and

Arts
Center
at
415.
W.
Washington
2010City
of
Ann
ArborN/A
Middle
Huron
Stormwater
Plan
for
Addressing
T
otal
Maximum
Daily
Loads
2010
Middle
Huron
Watershed
Stormwate
r
Advisory
Group

h;p://www.hrwc.org/our-‐
work/programs/middle-‐huron-‐sag/

80
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX
A
-‐
LIST
OF
REVIEWED
DOCUMENTS
Public
EducaCon
Plan
Template
for
Middle

Huron
Stormwater
Advisory
Groups
Members

ParCcipaCng
in
the
Waterhshed
Municipal

Stormwater
Permit
2010
Middle
Huron
Watershed

Stormwater
Advisory
Group
planning/water-‐resources/Stormwater-‐
Permit/Pages/PEP.aspx
Public
ParCcipaCon
Plan
for
the
Middle
Huron

River
Subwatershed
(Washtenaw
County)
2010Huron
River
Watershed
Council
h;p://www.wcroads.org/sites/default/ﬁles/p
df/Environmental-‐
PDFs/Middle_Huron_PPP.pdf
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Parks
&
RecreaCon
Open

Space
Plan
2011-‐2015
2011City
of
Ann
Arbor
Plan.aspx
City
Council
ResoluCon
R-‐11-‐325
in
Support
of

the
Allen
Creek
Greenway
2011City
of
Ann
ArborN/A
Survey
Data
from
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Parks
&

RecreaCon
Open
Space
Plan
2011-‐2015
2011City
of
Ann
ArborN/A
City
of
Ann
Arbor
2011
Storm
Water

Management
Program
2011City
of
Ann
Arbor
planning/water-‐resources/Stormwater-‐
Permit/Pages/PEP.aspx
Ann
Arbor
Connector
Feasbility
Study:
Final

Report
2011
Prepared
by
URS
for
City
of
Ann

Arbor,
Ann
Arbor
Area

TransportaCon
Authoriry,
Univeristy

of
Michigan
and
the
DDA
h;p://www.aaconnector.com/about.html
Bacteria
ReducCon
ImplementaCon
Plan
for
the

Middle
Huron
River
Watershed
2011
Middle
Huron
Watershed
Partners

and
Stormwater
Advisory
Group
h;p://www.hrwc.org/publicaCons/watershed-‐
management-‐plans/
Watershed
Management
Plan
for
the
Huron

River
in
the
Ann
Arbor
-‐
YpsilanC
Metropolitan

Area
2011
Prepared
by
the
Huron
River

Watershed
Council
for
the

Washtenaw
County
Drain

Commissioner
h;p://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/dr
ain_commissioner/project-‐
status/huron_plan/hrwp.pdf
Visioning
the
Allen
Creek
Greenway:
Designing
a

Path,
CreaCng
a
Place
2012
School

of

Natural

Resources

and

Environment
at
the
University
of

Michigan
(Student
Report)
h;p://natureforciCes.snre.umich.edu/about/s
tudent-‐masters-‐projects/

81
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX
A
-‐
LIST
OF
REVIEWED
DOCUMENTS
City
of
Ann
Arbor
FY2014-‐2019
Capital

Improvements
Plan:
TransportaCon
-‐
AlternaCve

TransportaCon
2012City
of
Ann
Arbor
planning/capital-‐
improvements/Pages/FY2014-‐
2019CapitalImprovementsPlanDocument.asp
x
City
of
Ann
Arbor
FY2014-‐2019
Capital

Improvements
Plan:
Municipal
FaciliCes
–
City

Owned
Buildings
2012City
of
Ann
Arbor
x
City
of
Ann
Arbor
FY2014-‐2019
Capital

Improvements
Plan:
Municipal
FaciliCes
–
Parks

and
RecreaCon
2012City
of
Ann
Arbor
x
City
of
Ann
Arbor
FY2014-‐2019
Capital

Improvements
Plan:
UCliCes
–
Storm
Sewer

System
2012City
of
Ann
Arbor
x
Phase
I
Environmental
Assessment:
721
North

Main
Street
2012
Prepared
by
Tetra
Tech
for
City
of

Ann
Arbor
development/planning/Documents/721%20N
%20Main/1%20ESA1%20pg%201-‐44.pdf
AASHTO
Guide
for
the
Development
of
Bicycle

FaciliCes
2012
American
AssociaCon
of
State

Highway
and
TransportaCon
Oﬃcals

(AASHTO)
N/A
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Non-‐motorized
TransportaCon

Plan
(with
2013
update)
2013City
of
Ann
Arbor
Plan.aspx

82
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX
A
-‐
LIST
OF
REVIEWED
DOCUMENTS
City
of
Ann
Arbor
South
State
Street
Corridor

Plan
2013City
of
Ann
Arbor
Plan.aspx
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Sustainability
Framework2013City
of
Ann
Arbor
Plan.aspx
721
North
Main
Street
ExisCng
Facility

Assessment:
Final
Report
2013
Prepared
by
inForm
Studio
for
City

of
Ann
Arbor
development/planning/Documents/North%2
0Main/721NMainBuildingAssessment-‐
Final.pdf
The
North
Main
Street
-‐
Huron
River
Corridor

Vision
for
the
Future
2013
City
of
Ann
Arbor
The
North
Main-‐
Huron
River
Corridor
Vision
Task

Force
development/planning/Pages/NorthMainHur
onRiverCorridorProject.aspx
Michigan
Natural
Resources
Trust
Fund
Grant

ApplicaCon
for
721
North
Main
Street

Improvements
2013City
of
Ann
ArborN/A
Allen
Creek
Berm:
Feasibility
of
Flood
ReducCon

and
Pedestrian
OpCons
Memo
2013
Prepared
by
OHM
Advisors
for
City

of
Ann
Arbor
planning/water-‐
resources/Stormwater/stormwater-‐
projects/Pages/AllenCreekBermStudy.aspx
Ann
Arbor
Connector
Preliminary
Route

AlternaCves
2013Ann
Arbor
Connector
h;p://www.aaconnector.com/presentaCons.
html
2040
Long
Range
TransportaCon
Plan
for

Washtenaw
County
2013
Washtenaw
Area
TransportaCon

Study
(WATS)
h;p://www.miwats.org/2040lrp/home/
Floodplain
Management
in
Michigan:
Quick

Guide
2013
Michigan
Department
of

Environmental
Quality
h;p://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/lw
m-‐quickguide_202673_7.pdf
NACTO
Urban
Street
Design
Guide2013
NaConal
AssociaCon
of
City

TransportaCon
Oﬃcials
h;p://nacto.org/usdg/

83
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX
A
-‐
LIST
OF
REVIEWED
DOCUMENTS
America's
Rails-‐with-‐Trails:
A
Resource
for

Planners,
Agencies
and
Advocates
on
Trails

Along
AcCve
Railroad
Corridors
2013Rails-‐to-‐Trails
Conservancy
h;p://www.railstotrails.org/ourWork/reports
/railwithtrail/report.html
Ann
Arbor
Allen
Creek
Greenway
Collected

Parcel
InformaCon
2014Peter
Allen
&
AssociatesN/A
Ann
Arbor
Stormwater
Model
CalibraCon
and

Analysis
Project
-‐
Public
MeeCng
11/6/2014
2014City
of
Ann
ArborN/A
Ann
Arbor
StaCon
Environmental
Review
Site

Tour
ICnerary
2014City
of
Ann
Arbor
planning/TransportaCon/Documents/AAS-‐-‐
Tour_Packet_9-‐15-‐2014_Combined.pdf
ConnecCng
our
CommuniCes:
Summary
Report

for
EvaluaCon
of
Downtown
Ann
Arbor
North-‐
South
Commuter
Rail
(WALLY)
StaCon
Sites
2014
Prepared
by
Smithgroup
JJR
and

Quandel
Consultants
for
the
Ann

Arbor
Area
TransportaCon
Authority
h;p://www.theride.org/Portals/0/Documents
/5AboutUs/WALLY/2.4.10%20NS_CommuterR
ail_AA%20Report%202014_0701%20low%20r
es.pdf
North-‐South
(Wally)
Commuter
Rail
History
and

Status
Report
-‐
June
2014
2014
Ann
Arbor
Area
TransportaCon

Authority
h;p://www.theride.org/AboutUs/IniCaCves/
NorthSouthCommuterRail/CurrentEﬀorts
Rules
and
Guidelines:
Procedures
and
Design

Criteria
for
Stormwater
Management
Systems
2014
Washtenaw
County
Water
Resources

Commissioner
h;p://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/dr
ain_commissioner/dc_webPermits_DesignSta
ndards/dc_Rules/wcwrc-‐rules-‐2014-‐08-‐
06_book.pdf
WATS
FY
2014-‐2017
TransportaCon

Improvement
Program
2014
Washtenaw
Area
TransportaCon

Study
(WATS)
h;p://www.miwats.org/Cp/
NACTO
Urban
Bikeway
Design
Guide2014
NaConal
AssociaCon
of
City

TransportaCon
Oﬃcials
h;p://nacto.org/ciCes-‐for-‐cycling/design-‐
guide/
Ann
Arbor
City
Code
Chapter
29:
Sewer
RatesN/ACity
of
Ann
Arbor
h;ps://www.municode.com/library/mi/ann_
arbor/codes/code_of_ordinances
Ann
Arbor
City
Code
Chapter
33:
Stormwater

System
N/ACity
of
Ann
Arbor
Ann
Arbor
City
Code
Chapters
47-‐50:
Streets

and
Sidewalks
N/ACity
of
Ann
Arbor

84
APPENDIX A
APPENDIX
A
-‐
LIST
OF
REVIEWED
DOCUMENTS
Ann
Arbor
City
Code
Chapter
57:
Land
Use

Control
N/ACity
of
Ann
Arbor
Ann
Arbor
City
Code
Chapter
63:
Stormwater

Management
N/ACity
of
Ann
Arbor
Required
Clearances
Near
Railroad
TracksN/AMDOT
h;p://www.michigan.gov/documents/rcbook
_55515_7.pdf
WALLY
Corridor
and
Surroundings
Map2013
Ann
Arbor
Area
TransportaCon

Authority
h;p://www.theride.org/AboutUs/IniCaCves/
NorthSouthCommuterRail/NSRailQuickFacts
Best
Management
PracCces
for
Storm
Water:
A

Developers’
Guide
for
Ann
Arbor

2005City
of
Ann
Arbor
planning/water-‐
resources/Documents/DevelopersGuide_4-‐6-‐
05.pdf
City
of
Ann
Arbor
Floodplain
and
Floodway

Maps
2010City
of
Ann
Arbor
h;p://www.a2gov.org/services/data/Pages/d
efault.aspx

85
APPENDIX B
Green the Way survey questions
This brief survey is anonymous and will take about six minutes to complete. For questions about this
survey, you can email the Green the Way project. Thanks for participating!
How familiar are you with efforts to build an Allen Creek trail, also known as the Allen Creek
Greenway?
Very familiar Familiar Unfamiliar Very unfamiliar
The Allen Creek trail is a new walking and biking path that Ann Arbor is considering building. The
trail would follow the general path of the Ann Arbor Railroad and Allen Creek (see map). The creek
flows underground from near Michigan Stadium north to downtown, connecting to the Huron River
near the Argo Dam.

86
APPENDIX B
Your survey responses will help determine
a route and design for an Allen Creek trail.
A University of Michigan graduate student
team is conducting this survey in
cooperation with with the City of Ann Arbor.
You can visit the project webpage to learn
more about the UM team's work.
How important would you rate the following features of an Allen Creek trail?
Very important Somewhat important Somewhat unimportant Very unimportant
Flood mitigation
Lighting along the trail
Water quality improvements
Public artwork
Access to shops, parks, trails or
other destinations
Other (please specify)
How important is it to you to link an Allen Creek trail to the following destinations?

87
APPENDIX B
Very important Somewhat important Somewhat unimportant Very unimportant
Border to Border Trail
Bluffs Nature Area
Argo Livery
West Park
Ann Arbor Farmer's Market
YMCA
Washtenaw Dairy
Blank Slate Creamery
Bill's Beer Garden
Michigan Stadium
Other
Other
Other
About how often would you use an Allen Creek trail for the following activities?
Daily
2-3 times per
week Once per week
1-2 times per
month Never
Commuting
Social activities
Errands or shopping
Recreation or exercise
How much do you agree with the following statements?
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree
Ann Arbor should build an Allen
Creek trail
Flooding in Ann Arbor is not a
problem
Ann Arbor needs more off-
street walking and biking
options
Huron River water quality
should be improved
An Allen Creek trail should
serve people with limited
mobility

88
APPENDIX B
I am comfortable using a trail
next to an active railroad
I sometimes walk or bike farther
to avoid difficult intersections
Ann Arbor would likely build an Allen Creek
trail in sections over time. Referring to the
map, which sections should be built
soonest?
Enter a number in each box to respond.
(1=build first, 2=second, 3=last)
Section A (north)
Section B (middle)
Section C (south)
Is there anything else you would like to add about the effort to build an Allen Creek trail?
If you live in Ann Arbor, how many years have you lived there?

89
APPENDIX B
If you live in Ann Arbor, what is the street intersection nearest to your home? (E.g., West Liberty &
3rd Street)
Including yourself, how many people live in your household, and what are their ages?
Ages 0-15 Ages 16-31 Ages 32-60 Ages 61 or older
Number of people in household
If you would like to receive occasional updates about the Green the Way project, please enter your
email address below.

90
APPENDIX C
Activities frequency
Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute
All n= 485 n= 497 n= 496 n= 513
Daily or several 23% 111 22% 108 21% 104 43% 221
Weekly or monthly 22% 109 65% 321 49% 245 52% 268
Never 55% 265 14% 68 30% 147 5% 24
Senior housing n= 130 n= 136 n= 135 n= 140
Daily or several 13% 17 16% 22 17% 23 40% 56
Never 69% 90 18% 25 32% 43 6% 9
Families with young children n= 129 n= 133 n= 132 n= 136
Daily or several 26% 33 25% 33 27% 35 40% 54
Never 53% 68 14% 19 27% 36 4% 6
Half mile or less n= 175 n= 179 n= 181 n= 184
Daily or several 30% 52 33% 59 38% 68 53% 97
Never 43% 76 8% 15 18% 32 2% 4
More than half a mile n= 234 n= 238 n= 238 n= 246
Daily or several 18% 42 15% 36 11% 25 37% 91
Never 61% 143 17% 40 34% 81 5% 13
Commuting Social activities Errands or shopping Recreation or exercise
Features frequency
Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute
All n= 523 n= 522 n= 517 n= 524 n= 523
Important 89% 468 85% 445 86% 444 44% 229 87% 453
Not important 11% 55 15% 77 14% 73 56% 295 13% 70
Senior housing n= 139 n= 137 n= 137 n= 138 n= 137
Important 88% 123 85% 117 85% 117 53% 73 86% 118
Not important 12% 16 15% 20 15% 20 47% 65 14% 19
Families with young children n= 135 n= 136 n= 134 n= 136 n= 136
Important 91% 123 82% 111 89% 119 33% 45 90% 122
Not important 9% 12 18% 25 11% 15 67% 91 10% 14
Half mile or less n= 183 n= 184 n= 182 n= 184 n= 182
Important 91% 167 90% 166 87% 158 54% 99 88% 161
Not important 9% 16 10% 18 13% 24 46% 85 12% 21
More than half a mile n= 242 n= 241 n= 240 n= 243 n= 243
Important 89% 215 82% 197 85% 204 36% 88 86% 208
Not important 11% 27 18% 44 15% 36 64% 155 14% 35
Water qualityLightingFlood mitigation Public artwork Access to destinations
Destinations frequency
Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute Percentage Absolute
All n= 516 n= 500 n= 515 n= 505 n= 514 n= 505 n= 502 n= 491 n= 501 n= 494
Important 93% 478 73% 367 87% 448 70% 353 66% 338 54% 273 42% 212 32% 157 41% 206 46% 228
Not important 7% 38 27% 133 13% 67 30% 152 34% 176 46% 232 58% 290 68% 334 59% 295 54% 266
YMCA Washtenaw Dairy Blank Slate Bill’s Beer Garden Michigan StadiumWest ParkB2B Trail Bluffs Argo Livery Farmer’s Market

91
APPENDIX D

Responses
to
the
question,
“Is
there
anything
else
you
would
like
to
add
about
the
effort
to
build
an

Allen
Creek
trail?”
Responses
were
grouped
into
categories
by
the
research
team.

Total
responses
-‐
181

Action-‐
“Do
something
already”

1. Do
something
already!

2. Let's
get
started
before
anymore
humungous
buildings
get
built!

3. I'd
like
to
see
it
in
my
lifetime.

4. Please
get
this
built!

5. Do
it
now!

6. This
project
needs
a
champion
to
move
from
planning
into
action.

7. I
live
in
Whitmore
lake
but
grew
up
in
and
work
in
Ann
Arbor.
Keep
up
the
good
work!
I
am
58

years
old.

8. I
would
support
an
effort
to
put
a
trail
in
that
lacks
certain
amenities
in
the
beginning
if
it
means

the
trail
could
be
used
sooner.

If
the
amenities
(art,
lighting,
etc)
came
later.

9. Need
to
begin
where
possible
in
order
to
establish
it
as
a
reality.

General
support
–
“Great
idea”

1. great
idea!

2. great
idea!

3. Don't
give
up.

This
will
take
a
lot
of
effort
over
many
years.

4. I'm
glad
that
there's
still
an
effort
to
make
it
happen!

5. it
would
be
a
wonderful
amenity
to
our
town.

6. Our
downtown
area
is
woefully
short
of
green
spaces
that
enhance
the
quality
of
life
at
least
as

much,
if
not
more,
than
our
wide
selection
of
restaurants.

The
Greenway
would
be
a
lovely

addition.

I
think
the
trail
should
be
paved
or
crushed
blue
stone,
both
of
which
would
allow
for

bicycles
and
limited
mobility
comfortably.

7. I
think
it
would
be
very
successful.
A
comparison
that
could
be
used
is
the
B-‐line
trail
in

Bloomington,
IN.

8. I
appreciate
the
effort
to
help
pedestrians
and
bicyclists;
it's
needed.

9. I'm
excited
to
hear
about
this
for
the
first
time.
I
ride
the
Border
to
Border
Trail
almost
every

week...any
extension
or
additions
are
needed
and
welcomed!
Thank
you!

10. THANK
YOU!
I
hate
biking/running
on
the
streets
in
Ann
Arbor.
I
moved
here
from
Madison,
WI

which
was
just
a
series
of
connecting
ped/bike
trails,
which
I
loved

11. Build
it
and
they
will
come.

We
need
this
in
Ann
Arbor.

While
I
don't
mind
a
trail
next
to
an

active
railroad,
how
about
we
just
shut
down
the
very
lightly
used
railroad
and
make
it
a

complete
rail
to
trail
conversion.

Like
many
other
mid-‐sized
cities
have
done!

12. It
would
be
a
very
valuable
addition
to
the
livability
of
Ann
Arbor
and
perhaps
help
more
people

to
bike
to
work
or
on
errands
instead
of
driving.

It
looks
like
a
great
start!!

13. It's
about
time
that
this
area
gets
some
attention.

Would
love
to
be
able
to
ride
a
bike
without

doing
it
in
traffic.

We
really
need
something
like
this.

Sick
of
looking
at
the
Road
Commission

building.

92
APPENDIX D
14. An
Allen
Creek
trail
would
contribute
greatly
to
quality
of
life
in
AA,
and
to
our
reputation
as
a

livable
city.

15. Ann
Arbor
is
growing
more
dynamically
all
the
time.
This
would
add
to
the
tall
cement
and
make

our
city
welcoming
even
with
more
concrete
and
high
rises
on
the
way.

16. A
special
place
to
walk
and
bicycle
is
a
precious
gift
to
our
community.

17. I
support
it,
but
would
only
use
it
infrequently,
as
I
live
in
the
northeast
part
of
town.

18. I
enjoy
using
these
sorts
of
off-‐road
walking
and
biking
trails,
particularly
when
they
aren't
just

loops
through
a
park.

While
that
is
enjoyable,
I
do
like
the
concept
of
having
the
trail
be
more
of

a
commutable,
point
A
to
point
B
type
of
thoroughfare.

Thank
you
for
your
efforts!

Nope-‐
“No
comments
here”

1. No.

2. no,
thank
you

3. Sorry,
I
don't
have
an
opinion
on
most
of
the
questions.

Incidentally,
your
map
seems
to
have

Michigan
Stadium
north
of
the
downtown
area.

Safety-‐“make
it
safe”

1. I
think
this
is
a
great
idea.
As
a
bicyclist,
there
are
places
I
cannot
ride
because
of
the
lack
of
bike

lanes
or
the
shoddy
quality
of
the
roads,
so
I
find
myself
driving
instead.
This
trail
would
provide

more
opportunities
for
safe,
active
transportation,
reducing
the
use
of
cars
and
improving
our

communities
ability
to
walk,
bike,
or
run,
in
a
safe
and
beautiful
environment,
to
the
health

improvement
of
all
of
us.
There
should
be
little
to
no
concern
about
a
trail
next
to
a
train,
I
grew

up
next
to
tracks
my
whole
life,
walking
to
and
from
school
next
to
the
tracks,
and
there
was

never
any
risk.
I
would
avidly
support
this
effort
with
my
continued
use
of
the
trail.

2. I'm
interested
in
how
safe
it
might
be
for
teenagers

(13-‐16)
to
use
safely
alone.
"Lighting

doesn't
calure
this
because
they
aren't
often
out
w/o
an
adult
too
late.

3. Provide
a
safe
way
for
kids
to
get
to
some
of
the
schools
on
the
west
side
of
town

4. It
would
be
great
to
have
connected
bike
lanes
through
town
that
are
safer
than
is
currently

available.

5. Keep
it
simple,
clean
and
safe

6. This
has
an
opportunity
to
create
a
safer
way
to
cross
(avoid)
the
downtown
area
with

overcrowded
sidewalks
and
bad
traffic,
please
be
extra
thoughtful
with
road
crossings
to
make

sure
they
are
safe
for
all
(especially
in
situations
when
bikers
choose
not
to
wait
for
lights,
or

during
rush
hour
when
cars
tend
not
to
yield
to
pedestrians
in
crosswalk).

7. it
must
be
very
well
policed
so
it
feels
and
is
safe
and
so
vagrancy
doesn't
become
a
problem.

It

must
also
be
very
well
maintained,
meaning
constant
attention
to
snow
removal
&
weed

removal
lest
it
not
be
pedestrian
friendly
in
all
seasons.

It
must
also
be
designed
to
make
it

interesting
(parks
tend
not
to
be
very
interesting
because
they
are
not
utilized
in
most
instances,

but
a
connection
to
the
Farmers
Market
and
Argo
would
make
it
interesting.

Daylighting-‐
“I
think
the
effort
should
include
plans
to
daylight
Allen
Creek”

1. I
think
the
effort
should
include
plans
to
daylight
Allen
Creek,
at
least
sections
of
it.

If
it's
out
of

sight
it's
out
of
mind.

93
APPENDIX D
2. The
sooner
the
better.

We
feel
certain
that
the
naysayers
will
come
to
like
it.

It
would
be
great

if
a
special
assessment
could
be
approved
for
it.

We
are
also
hopeful
that
Allen
Creek
might

eventually
be
opened
&
cleaned
enough,
along
with
the
Huron
River,
for
safe
body
contact
with

the
water
(yes,
wishful
thinking
at
this
point).

3. daylighting
the
creek
would
be
good
in
the
long
run,
but
just
get
the
trail
started
and
worry

about
this
later
-‐-‐
if
ever

4. I
would
like
to
see
the
creek
exposed.

5. Bring
Allen
Creek
back
to
the
surface.
There
must
be
a
way.

6. for
all
the
proposed
effort
to
build
this,
investigation
should
be
had
to
open
parts
of
the
creek

currently
underground
for
both
aesthetic
and
water
quality
points
of
view.

it
should
be
thought

of
in
terms
of
a
natural
restoration
issue
rather
than
a
civil
engineered
stromwater
management

condition

7. Please
unearth
the
creek
at
points
along
the
way.
Also,
please
offer
water
fountains
and
dog

amenities
(waste
collection,
water
bowl
fountains)
along
the
way.
Also,
please
add
a
dog
park

somewhere
along
the
route.
Thanks!

8. I
urge
that
you
find
someway
to
uncover
as
much
of
the
creek
as
possible
along
the
way.

That

will
add
an
incentive
to
clean
it
and
its
tributaries
up.

Separate
Bikes
and
peds/
cars

1. Separate
the
bikes
from
the
pedestrians,
please.
I
don't
walk
where
I
am
afraid
of
bikes.
Which

means
that
there
are
lovely
places
in
Ann
Arbor
where
I
don't
walk
(Border
to
Border
Trail,

Gallup
Park,
Bandemer
Park).

2. We
really
need
a
north-‐south
bike
trail
that
is
SEPARATE
from
the
street.
The
on-‐street,
painted

bike
lanes
do
not
work
-‐
they
are
dangerous
and
scary

3. SEPARATE
PEDESTRIANS
FROM
BIKE
USE

4. If
you
think
of
it
as
a
street
for
peds
and
cyclists,
it
could
be
very
valuable.
If
it's
just
another
bike

path
that
leads
nowhere
useful,
we
have
plenty
of
that
now.

5. Get
rid
of
invasive
plants
and
provide
designated
bike
lanes
and
designated
pedestrian
lanes

that
are
repeatedly
and
clearly
marked.

6. Make
it
WIDE
and
put
a
painted
divider
line
to
encourage
separation
of
high
speed
from
low

speed
traffic.
E.g.,
cyclist,
joggers,
rollerbladers
from
walkers
and
families
with
children.

Connections

1. It
would
be
great
if
the
trail
could
connect
to
a
bike
friendly
way
to
get
to
briarwood
mall.

There

is
ample
parking
at
the
mall
for
people
to
park
and
get
on
their
bicycles
to
ride

into
the
city.

It

would
also
connect
people
in
town
to
safe
non-‐motorized
transport
to
the
mall.

2. If
it
mostly
passes
through
residential
neighborhood
it's
a
poor
idea.
If
it
provides
access
to

amenities
and
shopping
and
actual
urban
destinations,
that'd
be
cool.

3. Its
all
about
the
Huron
River.

If
you
can
connect
to
the
trail
will
be
a
success.

if
you
dont,
it
will

not
be.

4. Connecting
downtown
to
the
river
(which
is
currently
entirely
isolated
by
the
RR
tracks
from

Bandemeer
to
Broadway)
should
be
a
primary
focus.
For
pedestrians
in
the
downtown
area,
the

94
APPENDIX D
riverfront
is
currently
entirely
unreachable.
Good
luck
getting
through
the
tracks,
but
I
believe

reconnecting
downtown
to
the
riverfront
should
be
a
priority.

5. Access
to
proposed
Kline
parking
lot
park

6. I
hope
it
coincided
with
building
a
commuter
rail!!!

7. Coordinate
efforts
around
the
Y
with
the
preferred
location
for
the
WALLY
commuter
line

downtown
station.

8. Connecting
to
the
border
to
border
trail,
Argo
and
the
river
is
much
more
important
than

connecting
to
the
Michigan
stadium

9. Love
to
have
it
connect
to
the
Dexter-‐Huron
metro
park
so
that
we
could
easily
connect
to
the

Dexter
Trail
to
Hudson
Mills.

10. important
to
have
lots
of
access
points
so
you
can
join
the
greenway
wherever
you
want.

Should
be
an
iterative
process...build
what
we
can
and
add
as
we
can.

Railroad

1. I
doubt
if
the
railroad
would
give
its
approval.
This
is
based
on
previous
reports

2. I
work
directly
next
to
the
railroad
line,
and
walk/drive
sections
of
it
most
days
as
I
do
my
job

and
live
my
life.

Building
an
entertainment
path
next
to
it
is
one
of
the
silliest
ideas
I've
heard.

This
is
an
active
rail
line.

With
REALLY
BIG
TRAINS
that
come
through
often.
I
see
people
already

trying
to
cut
around
the
crossing
bars
when
bells
are
ringing,
and
engaging
in
risky
behavior.

Trains
produce
products
dangerous
to
small
children
(fumes,
occasional
shooting
rocks
from
the

train
bed)
-‐-‐
this
is
a
particularly
silly
place
to
put
small
children,
including
small
children
on

bikes
that
may
be
fast-‐moving.

Putting
more
people
immediately
next
to
working
trains
is

beyond
stupid
-‐-‐
it
is
criminally
negligent.

If
you
have
to
have
a
multi-‐million
dollar
boondoggle,

put
the
walkers/bikers
out
in
farmland
where
there
are
no
deadly
trains
and
cross
roads
every

70
yards,
or
somewhere
like
Burns
Park
or
OWS
that
was
built
for
pedestrians.

3. Different
options
for
crossing
the
railroad
tracks
at
Argo
Dam
have
been
proposed.

I
prefer
the

most
direct
route
from
Main
Street
to
the
dam.

I
cross
there
myself
and
know
it
is
a
busy

crossing.

I
like
the
direct
arrow
on
your
website,
but
don't
see
much
advantage
(for
myself)
to

the
longer
route
on
the
poster.

4. what
a
lovely,
and
not
in
any
way
practical,
idea.
there
is
zero
reason
that
the
railroads
would

allow
this,
and
without
the
railroads,
there
is
no
project.
shameful
hand-‐waving
and
typical

townie
stubbornness.
it's
astounding
how
much
time
and
effort
has
been
put
into
a
project
for

which
no
leverage
exists
to
make
happen.

5. I
hope
we
can
also
use
the
railway
for
a
light
rail
line
as
part
of
the
A2
connector
project

Other

1. Fix
the
infrastructure
first

2. By
the
way,
it
would
be
helpful
to
have
had
some
"don't
know"
options
in
here.

That's
what
I

left
blank.

3. Greenways
in
cities
where
I
have
seen
them
have
had
very
positive
effect
on
the
community

ecologically,
economically
and
socially.

4. will
this
trail
offer
walking
sidewalks?
travelator?

5. Suggest
separating
public
art
from
the
greenway
project.
Public
art
should
not
be
a
driving

factor
for
recreation
and
transportation
issues.

95
APPENDIX D
6. Facilitated
5th
grade
Huron
Watershed
prjt
in
part
that
biked
the
blue
painted
drains
&
copy
of

historic
A2
map
from
Eberwhite
woods
to
Bandermere
Park
Huron
R
outlet

7. The
city
should
work
toward
buying
up
parcels
in
the
flood
way
that
have
houses
that
wouldn't

be
allowed
to
be
built
there
today.

8. It
would
be
great
to
add
a
few
drinking
fountains
along
the
way
and
dog
waste
stations!
This
is

great!
We
need
more
off-‐road
locations
to
run,
walk,
and
bike!

9. With
the
flood
control
questions,
I
wouldn't
so
much
worry
about
what
happens
during
a
storm

but
how
quickly
it
can
be
returned
to
use
after.
The
trail
is
built
on
Allen
Creek,
its
gonna
have

flooding
problems.
Worrying
about
what
happens
during
a
storm
when
few
people
would
be

using
it
should
not
be
a
high
concern.

10. Should
serve
the
community
both
recreationally
and
economically.
Don't
mess
up
any
economic

development
in
the
name
of
recreation
-‐
there
is
plenty
of
space.
Both
goals
can
be

accomplished.

11. Please
consider
incorporating
a
cycletrack
around
the
perimeter
of
the
golf
course
with
a

connector
to
Briarwood.

With
all
of
its
superfluous
parking
Briarwood
would
make
a
great

mode
switch
connection
point.

Folks
could
park
at
the
mall
and
commute
by
bike
downtown
for

work/entertainment
or
to
the
stadium
for
football
games.

Would
be
a
great
means
of

increasing
bike-‐ability
and
reducing
congestion
downtown.

12. As
someone
who
has
frequently
commuted
by
bicycle,
it
would
be
beneficial
if
the
trail
added
a

new
route,
rather
than
duplicating
an
already
existing
bike
path
or
lane.

13. Would
like
to
know
if
there
is
a
longer
term
vision
for
it,
or
if
it
stops
after
those
3
segments
are

complete.
Will
it
be
uninterrupted
path?
(not
have
to
cross
streets)
Boulder,
CO
does
such
a

great
job
of
this.

14. Knowing
the
university
is
involved
with
this
project
is
both
good
and
bad,
coming
from
an
Ann

Arbor
homeowner
with
no
ties
to
the
university.
I
fear
that,
like
so
many
of
their
services,

certain
aspects
will
be
off
limits
to
those
who
don't
possess
an
M-‐Card

15. Please
add
those
workout
things
along
the
trail.

16. Consider
using
parkland
acquisition
millage
funds
to
get
it
going.
There
are
millions
sitting
in
the

bank
from
that
millage.
If
it
requires
repurposing
those
funds,
give
voters
that
chance
to
say

they
want
to
fund
the
greenway
with
those
dollars.

17. The
city
does
not
have
funds
available
for
such
a
project.

18. I
think
the
city
and
the
planners/designers
should
look
at
the
"High
Line"
in
New
York
City
for

inspiration.

The
High
Line
is
a
retro
fitted
above
ground
railroad
line
turned
into
green
space
for

public
enjoyment.

http://www.thehighline.org

Also,
I
think
it
is
paramount
that
the
City
build
a

pedestrian
crosswalk
connecting
the
land
right
on
the
Huron
River
(near
Michcon
Site)
to
land

on
the
West
side
of
N.
Main
Street.

The
area's
current
configuration
makes
it
very
difficult
for
a

person
trying
to
cross
the
street
at
Main
and
Depot.

I
would
like
to
see
a
pedestrian
crosswalk

in
the
N.
Main
Corridor
incorporated
into
the
Greenway
Master
Plan.

Finally,
the
Master
Plan

should
strongly
reccomend
and
incorporate
plans
for
the
City
to
move
ahead
with
the
Allen

Creek
Berm
Project.

The
North
Main
Corridor
is
being
held
back
from
too
many
properties

being
in
the
floodplain/floodway.

The
Berm
Project
would
remedy
this
making
the
whole
area

more
economically
viable.

96
APPENDIX D
19. Wealthy
Ann
Arborites
could
sponsor
construction
and
maintenance
of
small
parks
named
in

their
honor
along
the
trail.
These
parks
should
NOT
have
children's
equipment
in.
Bright
colors.

They
should
be
as
close
to
nature
as
possible.
Drinking
water
fountains
would
be
ok.

20. What
is
the
latest
plan
to
Argo
Dam?
Is
it
a
tunnel
or
an
overpass
over
Main
Street?
Which
is

preferable
and
more
attractive
and
innovative?

21. need
to
show
some
accomplishments
to
get
more
residents
involved

22. I
would
rather
see
an
investment
in
downtown
parks.

23. Thanks
for
this
work.
We
desperately
need
more
off-‐street
bike
routes.
"Share
the
Road"
bike

lanes
do
not
work.
The
Allen
Creek
trail
could
be
a
good
north-‐south
route,
next
up
should
be
a

similar
off-‐street
east-‐west
route

24. While
improving
Huron
River
water
quality
and
flood
resistance
are
desirable
goals,
don't
let
the

perfect
be
the
enemy
of
the
good.
Build
a
trail
that
joins
at
each
segment
to
public
streets
or

sidewaalks.
Let
the
trail
not
worsen
water
quality
or
flooding.
But
don't
insist
that
1
project
do

all
possible
good
things.

25. Good
signage
and
maps

26. Need
a
celebrity
donor,
need
to
develop
the
3
small
parks
at
1st
and
Williams,
415
W.

Washington
and
721
N.
Main
to
serve
as
anchor
parks
for
recreation
and
resting,
music,
art.

27. Flood
mitigation,
particularly
in
the
middle
section
@W.Washington
Street
is
essential.

28. There
are
some
nice
spots
to
bike
in
Ann
Arbor,
but
nearly
every
commuting
or
shopping
path

requires
some
very
unpleasant
or
even
dangerous
traffic
situations.

29. More
biking/running
trails
PLEASE!

30. BtoB
is
a
big
plus
for
funding

Don't
block
flow
to
river

Include
daylight
options
even
if
years
off,

may
happen
sooner
then
most
think

Festival
site

Go
for
any
grants
we
can

Bike
and
walking

friendly
critical

Thanks
for
your
efforts!
This
could
be
a
big
change
for
the
better
for
AA
and

the
watershed
and
river

31. I
think
a
greenway
is
a
fine
idea,
but
I
would
like
to
see
it
be
very
active
(maybe
with
fitness

trail/parcourse
options
along
the
way);
open
to
as
many
forms
of
non-‐motorized
traffic
as

possible;
and
maintained
for
safety,
looks,
and
security.
Wayfinding
for
people
coming
from
the

Stadium
and
clear
links
to
downtown
business
and
activities
are
important.

Trail
Components

1. Please
be
sure
that
the
trail
isn't
made
using
crushed
rock
(block
top
or
cement
preferred).

Crushed
rock
makes
bike
riding
difficult
and
unsafe.

2. Set
up
volunteer
patrols
(like
in
NYC's
Central
Park);
make
it
accessible
to
inline
skates.
Be
sure

not
to
plant
obnoxious
deciduous
plants
that
will
litter
the
trail.
Probably
have
emergency

phone
stations...a
few
benches
for
resting.
:)

3. It
would
be
nice
if
it
extended
further
east.

4. Areas
with
child
friendly
activities
which
are
lacking
around
Main
Street
-‐
including
playground

and
benches

97
APPENDIX E
Other
features
identified
by
respondents
to
the
question,
“How
important
would
you
rate
the
following

features
of
an
Allen
Creek
trail?”
Responses
were
grouped
into
categories
by
the
research
team.

Total
responses
-‐
94

Safety

1. Safety

2. Safety

3. safe,
attractive,
well
maintained

4. bike
and
walk
path
that
safely
avoids
car
traffic

5. The
joy
of
walking
some
distance
safe
from
auto
traffic

6. Safety
and
peacefulness

7. personal
safety

8. Emergency
call
phones

9. Safety

10. residential
"eyes
on
the
path"

11. eyes
on
the
trail
-‐
adjacent
housing
development

12. movement
without
threat
of
vehicular
traffic

13. traffic
signals
at
major
cross
streets

14. safe
intersections
with
existing
streets

15. Safe
well
marked
car
free
lanes.

Mark
a
center
dividing
line
and
dedicate
no
passing
zones
in

unsafe
areas.

Add
signage
for
riding
on
right
and
pass
to
left.

Greenery/
beautification

1. beautiful/peaceful/green

2. natural
features
such
as
plants
and
rocks

3. trees
&
vegetation

4. greenway
space
to
improve
the
railway-‐side
landscape

5. landscaping

6. Keep
it
green
and
natural;
except
for
pavement,
less
man-‐made
stuff,
the
better.

7. Natural
feel

8. trees,
bushes,
flowers

9. Native
Plants/Greenery

10. Green
space
for
mental
health

11. Actual
green
views-‐-‐
block
traffic
sounds/views

12. Nice
natural
landscaping
like
at
Cascades

13. attractive,
clean,
intimate
walking
environment

14. Native
plant
gardens

15. Enjoy
nature

16. cleared
areas
for
exercise
eg
County
Farm
park.

Also,

Disc
Golf!!

17. I
would
oppose
artwork
except
at
intersections
and
prefer
an
unpaved,
natural
trail.

18. To
me
the
purpose
of
trail/greenspace
is
that
it
is
away
from
art,
lighting,
and
attractions.
These

are
distractions
from
the
purpose
of
greenspace.

Maintained

98
APPENDIX E
1. Well
maintained

2. good
maintenance

3. winter
maintenance

4. well
maintained,
e.g.,
snow
cleared

5. 1)
Maintenance!!!!
2)
Shows
off
features
of
town

Specific
infrastructure

1. Benches
to
sit,
meditate,
etc

2. Dog
waste
bags
and
trash
bins,drinking
fountains

3. water
fountains

4. Benches,
drinking
fountains,
shade

5. public
bathroom
access

6. drinking
fountains

7. paved

8. Paved

9. Integrated
play
structures
and
equipment
for
kids

10. Smooth
surface
for
inline
skaters

Separation
from
bikes
and
peds

1. Dedicated
cycling
lanes

2. Bike
path

3. separation
between
bicyclists
and
pedestrians

4. planning
and
posting/marking
for
bicycles
and
pedestrians

5. separating
cyclists
from
pedestrians

6. a
WIDE
path
with
a
line
to
separate
walkers
from
joggers/cyclist/rollerbladers

7. provide
a
place

to
move
bikers
out
if
the
streets.

8. nice
wide
path;
could
be
like
HIgh
Line
in
NYC

Connections

1. It
has
to
GO
somewhere,
not
just
be
recreational.

2. creating
pedestrian
connection
to
the
river

3. It
would
be
better
if
the
trail
led
to
the
Saline
road
overpass
(and
eventually
on
to
Saline),
but
I

understand
it
might
be
more
feasible
to
follow
the
railroad
line
in
town.

4. Access
to
B2B
trail

5. grade
separated
access
across
north
main
connecting
with
b2b

6. connecting
to
other
nearby
biking
trails

7. Safe
contiguous
access
over
main
st
to
Argo
Pond/Bandemer
park

8. access
to
parking;
city
bus,
B2B
trails,
children's
parks

9. access
to
train
station

Other

99
APPENDIX E
1. Above
question
should
separate
parks
and
trails
from
shops.

2. Buffer
from
denser
downtown

3. Events
like
music
festivals

4. creating
amenities
that
make
people
want
to
live
in
and
visit
the
city

5. bikeability

6. recreation
and
commuting
through
the
city

7. Increase
A2
as
a
walkable
town

8. Long-‐lived
materials,
i.e.
NOT
asphalt.

9. Continuous
hike/bike
path
with
minimal
interruptions
or
diversions

10. opening
the
creek
to
daylight

11. Dog-‐friendly

12. Good
signage

13. Thoughtful
planning
to
accommodate
a
variety
of
users:
bikes,
walkers,
skaters,
disabled,
young

children,
the
elderly,
dog
walkers.

14. Quality
of
Life

15. Traffic
Relief/Non
motorized
option

16. This
is
a
remarkably
poorly
conceived
project.

I
work
along
what
would
be
the
trail,
and
this

plan
makes
no
sense.

It
is
a
working
railroad.

17. educational
concerning
relation
to
Huron
Valley
Watershed
and
onto
Rouge
River
and
onto

Detroit
River
and
onto
Great
Lakes

18. minimizing
forced
stops
(for
commuters)

19. homeless
people
living
on
trail

20. Potential
daylighting

21. Child
friendly

22. view
of
the
creek,
bike
lane

23. It
will
help
with
non-‐motor
transportation

24. open
wter
w

here
possible

25. handicap
accessability

26. recreation

27. Seamless,
over
the
roads
&
Amtrak
tracks

28. it's
important
that
it
be
built!

29. social
spaces

30. bike
commuter
friendly

31. Non-‐motorized
transportation
pathway
and
greenspace.

32. pedestrian
commuting
from
the
large
unused
parking
at
the
old
power
plant
site
to
the
hospital.

It
would
get
people
out
of
their
cars
off
the
streets
and
really
using
a
path
along
the
river
next
to

the
railroad
tracts.
Now
that
the
site
between
the
cascades
and
the
train
station
is
cleaned
up

take
down
the
god
damm
fense
already
and
use
the
parking
lot
for
parking.

People
could
use
it

for
the
cascades,
argo
and
the
river
front
as
well
as
rent
assigned
parking
spots
for
hospital

employees
or
anyone
else
who
needs
a
guaranteed
spot.

Can
you
just
take
down
the
fense
and

pick
up
the
parking
lot
or
is
that
going
to
take
another
eighty
years?

33. Accessible
by
public
transit,
low-‐income
communities,
and
disabled
individuals

100
APPENDIX E
34. Other
nodes
of
transportation
or
transportation
infrastructure
(bus
stops,
other
trails
pathways,

bike
repair
shops,
drinking
fountain,etc)

35. Please
don't
(or
do
as
little
as
possible)
clearing
of
greenery
and
natural
wildlife
habitats,
to

make
the
trail.
This
unfortunately
occurred
along
Argo
park,
as
they
cleared
a
large
woodland

area,
so
it's
no
longer
a
peaceful
sanctuary
to
walk
through,
and
thus
the
wildlife
and
their

natural
habitat
was
displaced.
Please
don't
make
a
cement
path,
however,
a
path
could
be
made

of
mulch,
as
it's
in
keeping
with
nature
and
it's
peacefulness,
and
easier
on
joggers/walkers

(injury
prevention).
Also,
could
you
please
consider
avoiding
gentrification,
and
allowing
the

preexisting
buildings
to
remain,
which
are
Ann
Arbor's
history
and
character.
Please
don't
build

more
housing(condominiums/high-‐rises/
lofts)/shopping
areas/restaurants
(Ann
Arbor
has

enough).
Please
use
empty
lands/vacant
lots
(such
as
the
DTE
property)
for
wildlife
habitats
and

parks,
but
please
ensure
these
areas
are
removed
of
pollutants/toxins.
If
buildings
are

converted
(please
use
historical
preservation-‐style)/or
built,
please
consider
fine

arts/performing
arts/cultural/environmental-‐ecological
education/holistic-‐alternative
therapy

centers
and
performance
centers
for
the
community,
which
are
low/no
cost/sliding-‐
scale/scholarships.
This
could
be
similar
to
the
Neutral
Zone
or
Ann
Arbor's
Rec
and
Ed.
Could

you
please
work
with
the
SNRE,
as
they
may
offer
many
environmentally
sound
ideas
and
help.

Thank
you
for
your
time
and
consideration!

:)

36. Revenue
production

101
APPENDIX F
Other
destinations
identified
by
respondents
to
the
question,
“How
important
is
it
to
you
to
link
an
Allen

Creek
trail
to
the
following
destinations?”
Responses
were
grouped
into
categories
by
the
research
team.

Total
responses
-‐
102

Parks/Trails

1. Trail
at
the
South
end

2. Greenview
Nature
Area

3. Bandamer
Park

4. Future
trail
to
Saline

5. Bandemer
Park

6. Kuebler
Langford
Park

7. Vet's
Park

8. County
Farm
Park

9. Bandemere
Park

10. Wildwood
Park

11. Bandemere
park

12. Bandemer
Park

13. Broadway
Park

14. Bandemeer
Park

15. Barton
Pond
trail

16. proposed
downtown
parks

17. County
Farm
Park

18. Huron
River
Drive
area
parks

19. Run
out
to
Rolling
Hills
Park

20. Continue
and
the
length
along
side
Barton
Pond

Schools

1. Possibly
UM

2. Pioneer
High
School

3. Pass
near
schools

4. Pioneer
High
School

Library

1. Ann
Arbor
Library

2. Public
Library

3. Library
&
adjacent
lot

River

1. The
Huron
River

2. Huron
River

3. Huron
River

4. Huron
River

5. Huron
River

102
APPENDIX F
Downtown
(general)

1. Clear
link
to
downtown

2. Possibly
City
Hall

3. Downtown

4. Downtown

5. main
street
restaurants.

6. Downtown

7. Any
downtown
locations

8. access
to
downtown

9. downtown

10. historic
downtown

11. downtown

Transit
areas/
parking
lots

1. Train
station

2. Train
station

3. Amtrak
Station

4. State
St.
Commuter
Lot

5. bus
stations

6. AATA
Routes/stops

7. ArborBike
stations

8. Commuter
rail
stations

9. Amtrak
Station

Streets/Roads

1. access
at
Main
&
Depot

2. Recycle
Ann
Arbor,
S.
Industrial

3. Ellsworth
Rd

4. Huron
River
Drive

5. Summit
St./Water
Hill

6. huron
river
drive

7. summit
street

8. Eisenhower
Pkwy

9. 1st
Street
businesses

Specific
Businesses

1. Produce
Station

2. briarwood
mall

3. argus
farm
stop

4. knights
grocery

5. argus
farm
stop

6. Cobblestone
Farm

7. Argus
Farm
Stop

103
APPENDIX F
8. Argo
Farm
Stop

9. Big
City
Bakery

10. Argus
Farm
Stop

11. Argus

Other

1. Pioneer
Woods

2. Kerrytown
-‐
same
as
farmer's
mkt,
but
let's
make
it
explicit

3. A2
Rowing
Club

4. SoPack
area

5. connectivity
to
other
attractions
is
important
to
make
it
a
nonmotorized
commuting
route
as

well
as
a
recreation
destination

6. cycletrack
around
the
golf
course
with
connector
to
the
mall-‐-‐park
and
RIDE!

7. General
good
north
south
route
through
town

8. Railroad
Depot
(hopefully
remaining
at
Depot
St)

9. Eberwhite
Woods

10. an
actual
view
of
the
creek

11. Cascades
Area

12. Ann
Arbor
Rowing
Club

13. I
will
not
want
to
use
the
trail
if
it
is
merely
a
way
to
get
from
one
commercial
space
to
another.

14. Less
busy
road
crossings
the
better

15. Northeast
side
of
town

16. safe
led
crossing
at
N
Main
and
14

17. HOUSING

18. North
Main
city
yard

19. Crysler
Arena

20. Boardwalk
/
State
/
Eisenhower
offices

21. all
the
AA
highlights

22. Eventually
south
to
Saline

23. Most
of
these
connections
can
occur
via
our
street
grid
a
fairly
short
blocks.

24. river
walkways
on
both
banks

25. 720
N.
Main

26. Use
the
area
under
the
broadway
bridge
next
to
the
railroad
station
as
a
bus
stop
connecting
to

the
pedestrian
path
like
every
city
in
Europe
does.

This
makes
it
possible
for
multimodal
non
car

transport.

27. Water
Hill
Music
Fest

28. Public
Housing

29. AADL

30. DTE
site

104
APPENDIX G
GAME DAY PEDESTRIAN COUNTS
November 1 Pedestrian Counts at Hoover St Crossing. Game at 3:30PM
Time Pedestrians
12:00 - 1:00 PM 33
1:00 - 2:00 87
2:00 - 3:00 239
3:00 - 4:00 717
3:00 - 3:30 324
3:30 - 4:00 393
TOTAL 1076
Notes:
- Represents all pedestrians who traveled along the rail right-of-way, either
entering Hoover St from the North or South, or departing Hoover St to the
North or South.
- A person using a wheelchair had a difficult time crossing the train tracks
that intersected the sidewalk on the north side of Hoover. They were being
assisted across the tracks, and the wheels got stuck in the wider than
necessary gap between the rail and an aging wooden plank.
-There was one bicyclist using the rail right-of-way. He was "riding down
the rail right-of-way"
-The vast majority of pedestrians entered Hoover from the North side rail
right-of-way. A smaller but still significant number left Hoover onto the
South side right-of-way towards the Golf Course, especially before 3-4pm.
- There was a lot of trash (Solo cups, beer bottles, pizza boxes) that
seemed to be generated largely from the stadium fans, many of whom
were using alcohol publicly; trail design should take these factors into
account (i.e., trash receptacles, safety).

105
APPENDIX HAppendix H. Cycle Track Configurations
This appendix presents proof-of-concept designs to show that a safe and attractive trail could be feasibly
placed into the east side of First Street, including a cycle track (or bikeway) and an enhanced sidewalk.
The Green the Way team constructed these designs using conservative assumptions, listed below, such
that more detailed designs may indicate the possibility for even safer, more attractive, and/or more
convenient facilities. These proof-of-concept designs consider lane widths for bicyclists and motor
vehicles, intersection crossings, traffic volumes, turning movements for vehicles, slope along and across
First Street, and stormwater management concerns. Future stages of design should consider bicyclists’
turning movements on and off the proposed bikeway at intersections, maintenance of the bikeway and
planters, snow removal, and other issues which are not addressed here.
First, we display detailed cross-sections showing roadway dimensions as proposed (top portions of
images) and as they currently exist (bottom grey rows.) Second, we provide detail on each element of the
proposed redesign, for example the rain gardens between curb and sidewalk. Finally, we describe the
principles and methodology that underlie our bikeway designs, both to document our work and in case
they become useful to future design efforts.
Figure 1: Cycle Track Sections Key Map

106
APPENDIX H
Figure 2: Cycle Track Section A
Figure 3: Cycle Track Section B

107
APPENDIX H
Figure 4: Cycle Track Sections C, D & E
Figure 5: Cycle Track Section F
Detailed Elements
● Cycle track barriers would range from 3 to 4 feet wide, and would be approximately 3 feet high.
These proposed barriers would be permanent and solid, constructed for example out of concrete,

108
APPENDIX
with periodic gaps cutting underneath them for drainage onto the main travel lanes to the west, or
downhill. In our proof-of-concept design, they would be filled with traditional plantings, because
a true linear rain garden would need to be connected to a reconfigured storm sewer.
● Cycle track width would range from 9 to 12.5 feet. These dimensions correspond to a “desired
minimum” of 12 feet, and 8 feet in “constrained conditions” (NACTO 2012, p. 45). They also
reflect the reality that bicyclists should avoid the lip between the paved roadway and the gutter
that is integral to the curb, which is often bumpy. When choosing widths for each direction of
bicyclist travel within the two-way cycle track, we suggest allocating more width for bicyclists
traveling uphill, when they would be traveling more slowly and would have a tendency to wobble
more from side to side.
● Vegetation between the cycle track and the sidewalk would provide a buffer between
bicyclists and pedestrians. Any existing trees in this space would be maintained. To improve
stormwater capacity, existing grass and some existing pavement would be converted to rain
gardens, following the specifics of Ann Arbor’s “Green Streets” policies.
● Widened sidewalks, from the existing 4.5 feet to at least 6 feet and preferably 8 feet, would
allow for side-by-side walking. Special care would need to be taken with the steep slope between
the street and sidewalk between Ann and Miller.
● Enhanced stoplights along First Street would allow bicyclists to safely travel in both directions
along the one way street. We propose that protected bike signal heads, extra stoplights which
display bicycle symbols in place of arrows or solid circles, be used at these intersections (see
Figure 5-7 in Chapter 5.) They are described in detail in NACTO’s Urban Bikeway Design Guide
(2012, p. 93-98).
● Making driveway crossings more visible to cars and to trail users would improve safety.
Visibility could be improved by lowering the height of barriers between the bikeway and the
roadway near driveways, by installing signs and/or mirrors allowing driveway users to see along
the trail, and by painting driveway intersections distinctively as recommended by the NACTO
Urban Bikeway Design Guide (2012, p. 93-98).
● Relocating access points to public parking facilities would reduce the number of potential
conflict points. For example, the public parking lot at First and Huron has two entrances and two
exits, one each on Ashley Street and First Street. The entrance and exit on First could be closed
and the entrance on Ashley could be expanded to accommodate the extra traffic. For the City
Apartments parking structure at First and Washington Street, access might be consolidated onto
the existing Washington access point. If capacity or other issues prevent the First Street curb cuts
from being removed completely, we suggest removing entrances to the parking facilities from
First Street while leaving the exits in place. This would reduce the complexity of turns across the
cycle track and would improve vehicle flow on First Street.
Design Principles and Assumptions
● Create a cohesive trail that residents and visitors can easily understand and find. Ann
Arbor’s Non-motorized Transportation Plan calls for a pair of one-way bicycle lanes on First and
Ashley to bring bicyclists north and south. In order to create an identifiable trail and unify trail
users, we looked for ways to avoid splitting the trail further than the East and West Branches of
the Green the Way Route.

109
APPENDIX
● Follow accepted principles for safe bicycle facility design. In general, we followed the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) guidance on
bicycle and roadway configurations. Unfortunately, AASHTO’s latest design guide (2012) fails
to recommend any protected bicycle facilities, which have been shown to be safer and attract
more riders than the unprotected bicycle lanes and shared lane markings that the design guide
does recommend (Lusk et al., 2011). Thus, in order to design the safest and most desirable
bicycle facility, we follow guidance published by the National Association of City Transportation
Officials (NACTO, 2012) for the design of the two-way bikeway itself.
● Accommodate motor vehicle traffic along First St. and across the downtown Ann Arbor
street network. Vehicles must remain able to access local destinations and make trips that
currently use First Street. Thus, motor vehicles would remain on First Street with enough lanes on
First Street and the adjoining traffic network to accommodate traffic trends. In fact, traffic
volumes have been falling over the past 10 years, on First Street and across downtown (WATS
2014). We see no indication that this trend will reverse; instead, the City’s commitment to
expanding local bus service, creating a new transit line (The Connector), and starting two new
commuter rail projects suggests that auto traffic may decline even faster. Thus, even if First Street
were to become a slightly slower route for cars, some cars would divert to nearby streets like
Fifth Avenue, which would have plenty of excess capacity given overall falling traffic volumes.
We conclude that motor vehicle travel along First Street can be slowed somewhat without causing
a noticeable hardship on motor vehicle traffic in general.
● Follow accepted principles for vehicle lane widths. AASHTO (2012) recommends lane widths
of 10-12’ for urban streets designated as arterials and collectors. Research on city streets in
Michigan and Wisconsin shows that smaller widths result in higher safety for all users, at the
expense only of vehicular speed (Potts, Harwood, & Richard, 2007; Noland, 2013). We conclude
that 10’ lanes would be acceptable in the context of a busy downtown street where stopped traffic
is usually the controlling factor slowing down cars, and we propose wider lanes, up to 11.5’, to
provide more room in portions of First St. that may experience higher traffic volumes and/or
more truck traffic.
● Avoid changing the location of curbs, except by extending the curb into the street for short
areas, or bump-outs, at intersections. Changing the location of curbs often requires street
reconstruction and/or storm sewer reconfiguration, both of which are costly. If funding and
logistics were to in fact permit curb movement, we recommend considering that the cycle track be
raised to curb level in order to provide greater traffic safety at driveway crossings, to provide
higher perceived safety, and to better link the bicycle and pedestrian components of the trail.
Additionally, if curb movement were feasible, it might be possible to move vehicle lanes west,
narrowing sidewalks or planting space on the west side of the street in order to expand the
bikeway.
● Avoid removing street trees. Ann Arbor places a high value on street trees, which provide
shade, an attractive streetscape, and cleaner air – and which are difficult to replace. Thus, we
avoided proposing reconfigurations that would move the sidewalk or combine the sidewalk and
bikeway in such a way that would remove street trees.
● Minimize number of driveways a trail would cross and the number of on-street parking
spaces taken. Driveway crossings are potentially hazardous, and on-street parking is productive
especially for local businesses. Additionally, on-street parking serves as a buffer that slows traffic

110
APPENDIX
and protects pedestrians from motor vehicles. At an early stage, the Green the Way team
considered placing a bikeway along Ashley Street, but rejected that option due to its
comparatively larger number of driveways and on-street parking spaces.
Measurement methodology
The Green the Way team conducted measurements of curb-to-curb widths, sidewalks on the east side of
the street, and the space between those sidewalks and the curb using a distance measuring wheel, Oct.-
Nov. 2014. We also verified these measurements using Google Earth imagery dated 5/9/2010. Lane
widths, parking lane widths, and widths of sidewalks on the west side of the street were estimated using
Google Earth imagery, which displayed conditions before recent street work, and photographs taken in
Oct.-Nov. 2014. Widths were cross-checked against the 66’ distance between properties on either side of
the street that we calculated using MapWashtenaw services (accessed via www.ewashtenaw.org.)
References
AASHTO. (2012). Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, 4th Edition. Washington, DC:
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Lusk, A. C., Furth, P. G., Morency, P., Miranda-Moreno, L. F., Willett, W. C., & Dennerlein, J. T.
(2011). Risk of injury for bicycling on cycle tracks versus in the street. Injury Prevention, 17(2), 131–
135.
NACTO. (2012). Two-way Cycle Tracks. In Urban Bikeway Design Guide (2nd ed., pp. 41-46). New
York: National Association of City Transportation Officials, 41–46.
NACTO. (2012). Bicycle Signal Heads. In Urban Bikeway Design Guide (2nd ed., pp. 93-98). New York:
National Association of City Transportation Officials, 93-98.
Potts, I. B., Harwood, D. W., & Richard, K. R. (2007). Relationship of Lane Width to Safety on Urban
and Suburban Arterials. Transportation Research Record, 2023, 63–82.
Noland, R. (2003). Traffic fatalities and injuries: the effect of changes in infrastructure and other trends.
Accident Analysis and Prevention, 35, 599–611
WATS (Washtenaw Area Transportation Study). (2014). Traffic Count Web DB (Excel File, with data on
Ann Arbor streets originally sourced from City of Ann Arbor counts.) Attachment to email
communication from WATS staff to Green the Way team, October 2014.

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